GTEC Orders University of Ghana to Reverse Fee Hikes Amid Student Protests
JUSMAnewshub - 5th January 2026
The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission has directed the University of Ghana to submit proof of compliance with fee regulations by January 12, 2026, warning that failure to do so could attract serious regulatory sanctions.
In a formal notice to the university, the Commission made it clear that management must immediately address concerns surrounding newly introduced and increased fees. The directive follows weeks of mounting pressure from students who have protested what they describe as steep and unjustified fee increments.
Reports indicate that first-year students in the College of Humanities have been hit particularly hard, with academic fees rising by about 34 percent. Continuing students have also not been spared, facing increases estimated at roughly 27 percent.
Earlier attempts by the University of Ghana Students’ Representative Council to calm tensions focused on explaining the rationale behind some of the changes. In a statement issued on December 16, 2025, the SRC pointed to administrative lapses, higher utility bills, and the need to raise funds for a proposed hostel facility as reasons for the adjustments.
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One of the most controversial charges involved a Telecel data fee of ₵312 that appeared on the bills of some students. The SRC later admitted this amount was applied in error. According to the council, affected students are expected to pay either ₵122.64 for the year or nothing at all if they choose to opt out, with the Finance Directorate working to correct the mistake.
UGSRC President Larbi Ofori Richmond also defended an additional ₵200 levy earmarked for a planned SRC hostel project. He explained that the increase reflects rising construction costs and forms part of a long-term strategy to expand affordable accommodation. The proposed facility, he said, is expected to house about 15,000 students once completed.
Despite these explanations, the GTEC’s intervention shifts the burden squarely onto the university’s management. The Commission insists that all fees must be reviewed, regularised, and aligned strictly with existing laws, signalling that student concerns can no longer be handled through explanations alone but require concrete corrective action.
