Comply with approved fees, levy or face sanctions - GTEC to UG

  

Comply with approved fees, levy or face sanctions - GTEC of University of Ghana.

The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) is insisting that the University of Ghana’s (UG) management comply with the fees and levies approved by the Ministry of Education for the 2025/2026 academic year.

This follows a statement dated January 13, issued and signed by its Vice-Chancellor, Professor Nana Aba Amfoh, in which the university raised objections to some approved fees, including GTEC’s directive to reduce the SRC levy (GH¢150 instead of GH¢200), lower the Telecel bundle (GH¢122 instead of GH¢312), and discontinue the 75th Anniversary levy in response to GTEC’s directive on data bundle prices and some levies.

In a rejoinder shared yesterday, Wednesday, January 14, GTEC explained that UG’s concerns that the approved fees by the Education Minister contradict what they all agreed on during the high-level stakeholder meeting they held earlier.

It noted that “As you may be aware, during the referenced meeting, it was stated unequivocally that the decisions reached therein were recommendations, subject to the final and explicit approval of the Honourable Minister of Education. In this instance, the approved variations were informed by the Minister's assessment of the proposed adjustments and prevailing economic realities”.

GTEC further clarified that the Education Ministry wouldn’t have intervened but for how the University was charging the students, citing how management intends to continue charging students for the 75th anniversary when it is celebrating its 78th anniversary and also fresh students paying about 164% more than continuing students for the Telecel Broadband Levy.

“Please be advised that the Honourable Minister of Education would not have intervened to mitigate the fee adjustments proposed by your institution but for the following considerations:

Payment of levies being tied to students' registration for academic activities. The payment of the 75th Anniversary Levy being made compulsory for students.Payment of the 75th Anniversary Levy despite the University marking its 78th Anniversary. Fresh students being made to pay Three Hundred and Twenty-two Ghana Cedis (GH¢322.00) Telecel Broadband Levy when their counterparts (continuing students) are paying One Hundred and Twenty-two Ghana Cedis (GH¢122.00)”, parts of the statement read.

Consequently, “in light of the foregoing, the Commission's communiqué on the above subject dated 12th January, 2026, prescribing the fees and charges approved by the Honourable Minister of Education, remains valid and in force”, urging UG to adhere to the directive and send proof of compliance in the next 7 days.

“Accordingly, the University of Ghana is hereby directed to adhere strictly to the fees approved by the Ministry and to submit evidence of compliance to the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) not later than 22nd January, 2026”, GTEC noted.

Adding that, “Failure to do so will result in the withdrawal of all services by the Commission EXCEPT THE PROCESSING OF SALARY SUBVENTIONS.”

About the UG fees hike and management response

On January 2, last week, the university announced an over 25% upward adjustment in academic fees. Following the backlash faced by the school, the management, represented by Pro Vice Chancellor Gordon Awandare, attributed the hike to increased third-party fees during an interview with Citi TV.

He said management has limited control over third-party charges included in the overall academic fees.

He explained that these fees are imposed by student leadership bodies, namely the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) and the Graduate Students’ Association of Ghana (GRASAG), to support their programmes and activities.

According to him, the charges were approved through the students’ own governance structures and communicated to students more than two weeks ago.

“What is being reported as fee increases relates to third-party fees imposed by student leadership. University management did not impose these charges. If students have concerns, they should direct them to their SRC or GRASAG leadership,” he stated.

Professor Awandare further stressed that the university’s core academic fees remain modest and affordable, with no marginal increase, especially when viewed against current economic conditions.

“When you consider fees of about GH¢2,000 for an entire academic year at Ghana’s premier university, it is difficult to describe them as excessive. Utilities and operational costs have risen significantly, yet university fees have largely remained unchanged since 2022. Even students acknowledge that the previous fee levels were no longer sustainable, which is why they adjusted their own components to reflect the cost of running their activities,” he added.

Management maintains that the current adjustments reflect economic realities rather than unilateral decisions by the university.

The increase, according to the document shared by the school management, freshmen of the Humanities College will pay GH¢3,110 for the 2025/26 academic year, representing a 34% hike from the GH¢2,319 charged in the 2024/25 academic year, while continuing students at the college will pay GH¢2,253, marking a 27 percent increase from the previous GH¢1,777.

Similarly, at the University of Ghana School of Law, undergraduate freshers under the College of Humanities will pay GH¢3,226, a 33 percent increase from GH¢2,435 last academic year. Continuing law students will also see their fees rise from GH¢1,890 to GH¢2,396.

Other colleges, including Health Sciences, Basic and Applied Sciences, and Education, have also recorded fee hikes ranging between 25 and 35%.

According to management, one of the major drivers of the hike is a result of an increase in third-party fees. While third-party fees stood at GH¢255 during the 2024/25 academic year, they have increased to GH¢767 for freshmen and GH¢455 for continuing students for the 2025/26 academic year.

A breakdown of these charges includes an SRC Hostel Development Levy of GH¢300, a GH¢100 contribution towards the university’s 75th Anniversary Legacy Project, SRC welfare dues of GH¢50, and reprographic fees of GH¢5. Fresh Level 100 and diploma students are also required to pay GH¢312 for a Telecel data package, while continuing students may opt into a Telecel data and airtime package at GH¢10.22 per month.

WhatsApp 👈 join