The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has ordered universities and other tertiary institutions to discontinue the use of entrance examinations as mandatory conditions for admission.

In a circular dated July 20, 2026, and signed by GTEC Director-General Prof. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, the Commission said the practice undermines equal access to tertiary education and conflicts with the national admissions policy.

GTEC said it had observed that some institutions were introducing entrance tests as requirements before considering applicants for admission, effectively replacing the approved minimum entry standards based on West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results.

“This practice is inconsistent with the national admissions framework and undermines equitable access to tertiary education,” the Commission stated.

The regulator directed heads of tertiary institutions to ensure that admissions are conducted based on the prescribed minimum entry requirements, with WASSCE results remaining the principal qualification for admission.

However, GTEC clarified that institutions may use entrance examinations as additional assessment tools for highly competitive programmes, provided they do not override the approved WASSCE-based requirements. The Commission further instructed institutions that have issued, or plan to issue, admission notices requiring compulsory entrance examinations to withdraw such notices and align their processes with existing regulations.

GTEC said the directive is in line with its statutory mandate under the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023), which empowers it to develop and implement policies governing admission criteria for tertiary education institutions in Ghana.

The Commission said the move is aimed at promoting transparency, fairness and consistency in tertiary admissions while ensuring that qualified applicants have equal opportunities to access higher education.