The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has directed all tertiary institutions to stop making entrance examinations a mandatory requirement for admission, saying the practice is inconsistent with Ghana’s approved admissions framework.

The directive, contained in a circular dated July 20, 2026, is aimed at promoting fairness, transparency and equal access to tertiary education while ensuring institutions comply with the country’s approved admission policies.

In the circular, signed by GTEC Director-General Prof. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai and copied to all tertiary institutions, the Commission said it had observed that some institutions were requiring prospective students to pass entrance examinations before being considered for admission.

According to GTEC, this effectively bypasses or replaces the nationally approved minimum entry requirements based on the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

“The Commission has noted with concern that some tertiary institutions are introducing entrance examinations that operate as preconditions for admission, effectively bypassing or superseding the minimum entry requirements based on WASSCE results. This practice is inconsistent with the national admissions framework and undermines equitable access to tertiary education,” the circular stated.

The Commission reiterated that admissions should continue to be based on the prescribed minimum entry requirements, with WASSCE results serving as the principal qualification for entry into tertiary institutions.

However, it clarified that entrance examinations may still be used in limited circumstances, particularly for highly competitive programmes, provided they serve only as an additional assessment tool and do not override the minimum WASSCE-based admission requirements.

GTEC further directed any institution that has already issued, or intends to issue, admission notices making entrance examinations compulsory to immediately withdraw them and revise their admission processes to comply with the national regulatory framework.

“The Commission respectfully requests that any institution which has issued, or intends to issue, admission notices requiring entrance examinations as a precondition for admission withdraw such notices and align its admission processes with the applicable regulatory framework,” it added.

The Commission also reminded universities and other higher education institutions that it is legally mandated to formulate and implement admission policies under the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023).

“The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), established under the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023), draws the attention of all tertiary institutions to the Commission’s statutory mandate to develop and implement policy on criteria or requirements for admission to tertiary education institutions in the country,” the statement said.

GTEC urged all institutions to fully comply with the directive to ensure that admissions into Ghana’s tertiary institutions remain fair, transparent and consistent with the country’s established regulatory standards.