The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has officially withdrawn the accreditation of two postgraduate programmes offered by the University of Cape Coast (UCC) — the Master of Science (MSc) in Customs Administration and the Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) in Customs Administration — with immediate effect.
The decision was communicated in a letter dated October 6, 2025, and signed by GTEC’s Director-General, Professor Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai. The letter, addressed to the Acting Vice-Chancellor of UCC, cited a breach of approved instructional modes as the basis for the revocation.
According to the Commission, the two programmes were accredited to be delivered through regular, in-person instruction. However, UCC had unilaterally commenced offering the programmes in sandwich and fully online formats without seeking the necessary approvals from GTEC.
“The decision is informed by the fact that, as you are aware, accreditation for these programmes was granted to be taught in regular and in-person mode. However, the University of Cape Coast, without recourse to GTEC, has commenced delivering these programmes as sandwich and 100% online,” the letter stated.
As a result, GTEC has directed the University to immediately withdraw all admissions granted under the de-accredited programmes. UCC has also been instructed to submit proof of compliance by October 31, 2025.
The Commission has further indicated that UCC may reapply for accreditation if it intends to continue offering the programmes in alternative formats.
In a significant move, GTEC also copied the Commissioner of Customs of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) in the correspondence, noting that any certificates awarded under the affected programmes will not be recognised by the Commission.
The revocation is expected to impact current and prospective students enrolled in the two programmes, raising concerns about academic continuity and the future of Customs Administration education at the University.
By: Isaac Appiah Kubi
