The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has directed the University for Development Studies (UDS) to immediately stop delivering its accredited evening Bachelor of Laws (LLB) programme as a weekend programme and restore the approved evening mode.
In a letter dated October 5, 2026, and addressed to the Vice-Chancellor of UDS in Tamale, the Commission also ordered the university to discontinue any arrangement requiring students admitted to the evening programme to switch to weekend classes.
UDS has further been directed to ensure that all affected students return to the approved mode of delivery without academic or financial disadvantage.
The Commission wants the university to formally communicate the directive to all affected students and relevant academic and administrative units and submit documentary evidence of full compliance within seven days.
GTEC warned that failure to comply within the stipulated period could trigger regulatory action without further notice. It stressed that it would not recognise the continued delivery of the LLB programme under an unapproved mode.
The letter was signed by GTEC Deputy Director-General, Prof Augustine Ocloo, on behalf of the Director-General.
GTEC raises accreditation concerns
In the letter, the Commission said it had noted “with serious concern that the University is currently delivering its Bachelor of Laws (LLB) programme, which was accredited for evening delivery, as a weekend programme.”
It added that its investigations had established that students admitted to the approved evening programme were being required to migrate to the weekend mode.
GTEC reminded the university that programme accreditation is granted based on specific academic, staffing, infrastructure and delivery arrangements submitted by the institution and assessed by the Commission.
It said the approved mode of delivery forms an integral part of the conditions for accreditation, meaning an institution cannot change it unilaterally without the Commission’s prior written approval.
According to GTEC, converting an accredited evening programme into a weekend programme without authorisation constitutes a material departure from the accreditation conditions and amounts to regulatory non-compliance.
The Commission expressed concern that such a change could affect academic contact hours, faculty availability, access to teaching and learning facilities, quality assurance arrangements and the conditions under which students accepted admission.
“Accordingly, the Commission hereby DIRECTS the University to CEASE, WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT, the delivery of the accredited evening LLB programme as a weekend programme and to restore the programme to its duly approved evening mode of delivery,” the letter stated.
Non-compliance could lead to withdrawal of accreditation
GTEC warned that continued failure to comply would constitute a breach of the conditions under which the programme was accredited and could compel it to take regulatory action.
Possible measures include the suspension, withdrawal or revocation of the programme’s accreditation, an order preventing further admissions to the programme and other sanctions available under the applicable regulatory framework.
The Commission reiterated that it would not recognise the continued delivery of the LLB programme in a mode that had not been formally approved.
It urged UDS to treat the matter with the utmost urgency and ensure full compliance within the seven-day deadline, warning that further action could be taken without additional notice.
source – www.graphic.com.gh
