Higher education

18 Nov 2010

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Short description of the higher education system

Academic higher education is offered by both public universities and private national and international universities, while professional education is offered by ten national polytechnics and several national and international specialized colleges. Education is mainly financed by the Ministry of Education (72% in 2008), which receives the largest share of the national budget out of all ministries in Ghana.
 

Types of degrees

Universities award bachelor’s, master’s and PhD degrees and postgraduate certificates and diplomas. Polytechnics award technician certificates, the Higher National Diploma (HND) and the Bachelor of Technology (selected programmes). Most professional education institutes that award bachelor’s degrees, as well as foreign degree-awarding institutes, do so in affiliation with accredited Ghanaian universities.
 

Quality assurance and accreditation

The National Accreditation Board (NAB) accredits both public and private (tertiary) institutions based on the content and standards of their programmes. In consultation with the relevant institution, the board establishes programmes and requirements for efficient institutional operations and for the maintenance of acceptable levels of academic and/or professional standards. The NAB further determines the equivalence of diplomas, certificates and other credentials awarded by Ghanaian and foreign institutions. To be admitted to university in Ghana, students must take a university entrance examination. 

The Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET) was established in 2006 and is responsible for all matters pertaining to technical and vocational education and training, including the national qualification framework for technical and vocational education and training (TVET). Prior to the establishment of COTVET, the National Board for Professional and Technician Examinations (NABPTEX) was responsible for formulating and administering examinations, certification, and setting skills and syllabus competency standards for non-university institutions.

Currently, both organizations are in a transition period and NABPTEX is still active in issues regarding tertiary education level quality assurance, while COTVET is first focusing on issues in secondary education level TVET. Although universities are autonomous, the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) is responsible for all public tertiary institutions with university and non-university status (responsibilities include policy, fund allocation and administration).
 

Recent reforms

The most important reforms currently being implemented relate to COTVET’s mandate in the area of professional education, namely:

  • formulating national policies for skills development across the broad spectrum of pre-tertiary and tertiary education and formal, informal and non-formal education; 
  • coordinating, harmonizing and supervising the activities conducted by private and public providers of TVET, including the informal sector;
  • rationalizing the assessment and certification system for TVET;
  • taking measures to ensure quality in delivery of and equity in access to TVET;
  • maintaining a national database on TVET;
  • facilitating research and development in the TVET system;
  • raising funds to support TVET activities;
  • facilitating collaboration between training providers and industry to promote demand-driven curricular development and students’ placement in national internship programmes;
  • promoting cooperation with international agencies and development partners;
  • issuing annual reports on the state of skills development in the country;
  • and advising the government on matters related to management and improvement of the TVET system.

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