Parliament approves amendment to education regulatory law

Accra, March 13, – Parliament of Ghana has approved the Education Regulatory Bodies (Amendment) Bill, 2026, introducing reforms aimed at strengthening oversight and autonomy within Ghana’s tertiary education sector.

Under the new legislation, tertiary institutions currently operating under affiliation arrangements with mentoring universities are required to obtain a Charter within six years.

This represents a shift from the previous system, where private institutions were required to remain under mentorship for 10 years before qualifying to apply for autonomous status.

The Bill was laid before Parliament on February 4, 2026, by Clement Abas Apaak, Deputy Minister of Education and Member of Parliament for Builsa South, on behalf of the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu.

He presented the Bill in accordance with Article 106 (4) and (5) of the 1992 Constitution.

Following the first reading, the Bill was referred to the Education Committee of Parliament for further scrutiny and reporting, in line with Order 165 of the Standing Orders of Parliament.

Presenting the Committee’s report, Peter Kwasi Nortsu-Kotoe, Chairman of the Committee, commended the Minister of Education, the Deputy Minister, officials of the Ministry of Education, the Office of the Attorney-General, the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission, and the Private Universities Founders Association for their contributions during deliberations on the Bill.

He noted that the Committee relied on several reference documents during its work, including the 1992 Constitution, the Standing Orders of Parliament, the Education Act, 2008 (Act 778), the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023), and the State Lands Act, 1962 (Act 125).

Over the last three decades, Ghana’s tertiary education sector has expanded considerably, largely due to the emergence of private institutions which have broadened access to higher education, enhanced human capital development, and introduced diverse academic programmes.

Before the introduction of the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020, institutions seeking autonomous status were required to operate under mentorship for at least 10 years to ensure quality assurance, institutional stability, and sound governance.

The amended law now requires affiliated institutions to obtain their Charters within six years, a measure aimed at accelerating institutional independence.

However, the reform has raised concerns among some private universities about their ability to meet the new deadline.

The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission requires institutions applying for Charters to demonstrate adequate financial capacity and appropriate infrastructure before autonomy is granted.

Smaller and mission-based institutions have expressed fears that meeting these requirements within the stipulated period could prove difficult.

In addition, many private institutions already pay affiliation fees to mentoring universities, and stakeholders say the extra financial demands involved in securing a Charter may further strain their resources.

Stakeholders have therefore called for continued dialogue and possible support mechanisms to ensure that private tertiary institutions are not unduly affected by the new legislation, while safeguarding the quality and credibility of Ghana’s higher education system.

GHBUSS

13 March 2026