GTEC: No entrance exams before WASSCE results
The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has clarified that it has not prohibited universities from conducting entrance examinations but has directed tertiary institutions to hold such examinations only after the release of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results.
Speaking to 3News on August 3, GTEC Director-General, Prof. Ahmed Jinapor, said the Commission’s recent communiqué was meant to remind tertiary institutions of the approved admission procedures rather than completely outlaw entrance examinations.
He explained that entrance examinations could still be used as an additional screening mechanism for highly competitive programmes such as Medicine and Nursing, particularly where the number of qualified applicants exceeds the available places.
Prof. Jinapor said GTEC’s concern was specifically with institutions organising entrance examinations before prospective students know their WASSCE results.
He argued that requiring students to sit such examinations before establishing whether they meet the basic academic requirements is unfair and could place unnecessary financial and emotional pressure on applicants.
For instance, a student may spend money to take an entrance examination for a Nursing programme, only to discover later that their WASSCE results do not satisfy the university’s admission criteria.
Prof. Jinapor said institutions could conduct additional assessments after WASSCE results have been released if they need to select among qualified applicants because of limited admission spaces.
He also raised concerns about computer-based entrance examinations and the fees charged by some tertiary institutions.
According to him, applicants from rural and underserved communities could be disadvantaged because they may not have easy access to computers or dependable internet connectivity.
He also questioned the fairness of charging applicants fees of up to GH¢350 for entrance examinations, particularly as the government pursues measures aimed at reducing the financial burden on first-year tertiary students.
The GTEC Director-General disclosed that the Commission had received information that the University of Ghana conducted an entrance examination despite the recent directive.
He said GTEC subsequently engaged the university’s management, which explained that preparations for the examination had already been completed before the communiqué was issued.
According to Prof. Jinapor, the university has assured the Commission that it will comply with the directive in subsequent admission exercises.
He said GTEC was willing to give institutions some flexibility this year because some had already made arrangements for their examinations before the directive was issued.
However, he warned that the Commission would strictly enforce the policy from next year.
Institutions that organise entrance examinations before the release of the general WASSCE results could face regulatory sanctions, including the withdrawal of accreditation for the affected programme.
Prof. Jinapor warned that such sanctions could also have implications for students’ access to government support programmes and national service opportunities.
The directive applies to both public and private tertiary institutions under GTEC’s regulatory authority.
Addressing concerns that some universities have conducted entrance examinations before WASSCE results for several years, Prof. Jinapor said the Commission only became aware this year that certain institutions were following the practice.
He noted that some universities had justified the early examinations by pointing to the short period between the release of WASSCE results and the commencement of the academic year, which they said made early admissions necessary.
Despite those concerns, Prof. Jinapor said GTEC’s position remains firm that entrance examinations should not be conducted before the release of the general WASSCE results.
He added that the Commission would continue engaging tertiary institutions to ensure that admissions are fair, transparent and accessible while maintaining quality standards across Ghana’s higher education sector.
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