UTAG-UCC rejects GTEC's proposed harmonisation of academic promotion guidelines for staff

The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) has rejected the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission's (GTEC) proposed harmonised promotion guidelines for academic staff, insisting that the proposal undermines the autonomy of public universities.

In a statement issued on June 29, 2026, the UTAG UCC branch said its Local Executive Council unanimously rejected the proposal during a meeting held on June 25.

The association explained that its opposition is not directed at efforts to promote quality assurance or benchmarking, but at what it considers an attempt by GTEC to assume powers that are legally vested in university governing bodies.

According to UTAG UCC, decisions relating to appointments, promotions and the assessment of academic merit fall within the exclusive mandate of University Councils and Academic Boards under the statutes establishing public universities.

The association argued that although the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023) empowers GTEC to oversee quality assurance, coordination and benchmarking across the tertiary education sector, the law does not authorise the Commission to prescribe or harmonise promotion policies for universities.

UTAG UCC also challenged GTEC's justification that differences in promotion standards among universities require regulatory intervention. It maintained that such variations are expected because universities have different mandates, academic traditions and strategic priorities.

The association further noted that international best practice generally allows universities to manage appointments and promotions independently, while national regulatory bodies focus on quality assurance and institutional benchmarking.

UTAG UCC urged GTEC to channel its efforts toward addressing more pressing challenges confronting the tertiary education sector, including inadequate staffing, high student to lecturer ratios, limited laboratory facilities and poor conditions of service for academic staff.

It also called on the Government and the Ministry of Education to reaffirm that GTEC's mandate is confined to quality assurance and benchmarking, while preserving the authority of University Councils and Academic Boards over appointments, promotions and the determination of academic merit.

The association further announced that it would not participate in any consultation process based on the assumption that it accepts the proposed harmonised promotion framework, stressing its commitment to protecting the statutory independence of the University of Cape Coast and safeguarding academic freedom.