The 2021 Auditor-General’s Report has revealed 374 academic programmes at the University of Ghana (UG) are unaccredited.
A similar issue has also been reported that some 200 programmes have not been unaccredited at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
The operation of unaccredited courses is in contrast to Section 36 of the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023) which stipulates that, “provides that a person who runs or advertises a tertiary education programme that is not accredited; commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of not less than ten thousand penalty units and not more than twenty thousand penalty units or a term of imprisonment of not less than 15 years and not more than 20 years, or to both.”
Out of the 374 courses, 14 are diploma programs, 80 are undergraduate programs, 213 are post-graduate programs without accreditation, and 67 are doctoral programs.
The auditors highlighted, according to portions of the report, “that the University promoted 374 academic programmes on the various web portals that had the accreditation expired or needed re-accreditation throughout the period under examination.”
The Auditor-General suggested that “expedite action be taken for accreditation and re-accreditation of all new and expired academic programs, respectively” by the University’s Management.
Additionally, management was tasked with “working with the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to take retroactive accreditations to cover all the non-accredited certificates provided to students.”
Also, the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) through the Auditor-General’s (A-G) report has revealed the school runs over 200 unaccredited programmes.
The report, dated June 1, 2022, is directed to Mr. Alban Bagbin, Speaker of Parliament.
Some academic programs provided by the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) have not received accreditation, according to the Auditor-General’s report for 2021.
“Out of the 360 programs administered by the University, only 61 have been accredited,” the report’s findings state. “190 have been referred to the National Accreditation Board (NAB) for accreditation and reaccreditation, and 109 have not yet been forwarded to NAB for accreditation.”
The Auditor-General has therefore “recommended to Management to cease running programmes that are not accredited or having its accredited certificates expired, until they are accredited or renewed, to avoid sanctions by NAB.”
Auditor-General’s Report: 374 academic programmes at UG unaccredited
