GTEC bans mandatory entrance exams for tertiary admissions

The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has instructed tertiary institutions to discontinue the practice of making entrance examinations compulsory for admission, stating that applicants should be admitted primarily on the basis of the approved minimum entry requirements, with WASSCE results remaining the key qualification.

GTEC said it had observed that some institutions were requiring prospective students to pass entrance examinations before being considered for admission, a move it believes undermines the country’s admissions policy and restricts equal access to higher education.

In a statement issued under its mandate provided by the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023), the Commission reminded tertiary institutions that it is responsible for formulating and enforcing policies governing admission requirements across the sector.

The Commission clarified that while entrance examinations may be administered in specific cases, they should only complement the existing admission criteria and not replace or supersede the minimum WASSCE-based requirements.

“Entrance examinations shall only be used as an additional component to the prescribed requirements, based on competitiveness and not as a prerequisite that overrides the WASSCE-based minimum entry requirements,” GTEC stated.

Consequently, the Commission directed all tertiary institutions that have issued, or plan to issue, admission notices making entrance examinations mandatory to withdraw those notices and ensure their admission procedures comply with the approved regulatory framework.

GTEC emphasised that compliance with the national admission guidelines is essential to promote fairness, transparency and equal access to tertiary education for all qualified applicants.