GTEC holds media seminar to build collaboration with journalists to help execute mandate

The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) on Thursday, June 9, 2022, organised a seminar for the media at the Conference Hall of the Tertiary Education Complex at its premises to build collaboration with journalists to help in the executive of its mandate.

On August 21, 2020, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo assented to the Education Regulatory Bodies Act 2020 (Act 1023).

Part One of Act 1023 Established the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission as a merged entity from the erstwhile National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) and the National Accreditation Board (NAB).

GTEC since then, became the body mandated to among other things regulate tertiary education in all its forms.

Keen on executing its mandate to the satisfaction of all, the leadership of GTEC admits that it is faced with challenges.

As a result, it has decided to strengthen collaborations with all stakeholders to have a better chance of overcoming the challenges in order to excel in what is required of the commission.

Speaking at the seminar on Thursday, the board chairman of GTEC, Prof. Kwame Boafo-Arthur explained the rationale behind the first-ever media seminar of his outfit, noting that considers the media an important stakeholder in the development and the attainment of goals and objectives of the commission.

He shared that GTEC has organised the seminar to inform and educate the media fraternity on the mandate and operations of the commission as spelt out in Article 1023.

Prof. Kwame Boafo-Arthur added that the seminar is also to establish the level of awareness of standards, quality of assessments, and quality assurance in tertiary education by the media and their role thereof.

He added that through the seminar, GTEC hopes to come up with strategies on how best the commission in collaboration with the media can put the issue of continuous quality improvement in tertiary institutions at the forefront of public or national discussions.

The GTEC chairman in his address called on the media to get close to his outfit and help expose the running of unaccredited programmes by unaccredited institutions.

According to Prof. Kwame Boafo, although GTEC is doing its bid, it will be able to achieve more to make tertiary education better in the country if it receives support from the media.

“Your presence to be here for this important seminar is a joy to me because the media is a very critical component in virtually every aspect of our national development. We thank you for honouring our invitation.

“The media which is the fourth estate of the realm has played and will continue to play a vital role in Ghana’s development. This is why it is critical that the media have a full understanding and appreciation of the work of the commission to enhance its performance of agenda-setting and watchdog role so far as the tertiary education landscape is concerned,” Prof. Kwame Boafo-Arthur indicated.

At the seminar, Prof. Mohammed Salifu who is the Director-General of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission delivered a presentation on the mandate of the commission under Article 1023.

He noted that the commission is to regulate tertiary education in all its forms with a view to promote; Efficient and effective management, Provide consistent quality of service, Advance the application of knowledge, and Develop appropriate human capital.

He called on the media to help GTEC to maintain eternal vigilance and hold Tertiary Institutions in the country accountable

“Collectively we need to protect the public interest and the integrity and prestige of our Tertiary Education system and qualifications awarded,” Prof. Mohammed Salifu noted.