Education Regulatory Bodies Amendment Bill, 2026 passed by parliament

Ghana’s Parliament has approved amendments to the law governing education regulatory bodies, introducing a major change to the path private tertiary institutions must follow to gain autonomy.

Under the new framework, tertiary institutions currently operating under mentoring universities will now be required to secure a Charter within six years.

The change shortens the previous timeline, which allowed private institutions to remain under mentorship for 10 years before seeking independent status.

The legislation, titled the Education Regulatory Bodies Amendment Bill, 2026, was introduced in Parliament on 4 February 2026 by Deputy Education Minister Dr Clement Abas Apaak, who laid it on behalf of Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu under Article 106(4) and (5) of the 1992 Constitution.

After its first reading, the Bill was referred to Parliament’s Education Committee for scrutiny and a report in line with the Standing Orders.

Presenting the committee’s findings, its chairman, Peter Kwasi Nortsu-Kotoe, acknowledged the contributions of the Education Ministry, the Attorney-General’s Office, the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission, and the Private Universities Founders Association.

He said the committee’s review drew on a number of statutory and policy documents, including the Constitution, the Standing Orders of Parliament, the Education Act, 2008, the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020, and the State Lands Act, 1962.

The amendment comes at a time when Ghana’s tertiary education space has expanded considerably, particularly through the rise of private institutions, which have helped widen access to higher education and diversify academic offerings.

Previously, the mentorship requirement was intended to ensure that institutions achieved adequate academic stability, quality control and governance maturity before being granted autonomy.

But the revised law compresses that transition period, a move that is expected to accelerate independence for affiliated institutions.

At the same time, the change has triggered concern among some private universities, especially smaller and mission-based institutions, over whether the new deadline is realistic.

A key issue is that the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission requires institutions applying for Charters to show strong financial capacity and adequate physical infrastructure.

For institutions already paying affiliation fees to mentoring universities, the added demands of the Charter process could prove difficult to meet within six years.

As a result, stakeholders in the sector are calling for further engagement and possible support measures to ensure the new regime does not place undue pressure on private institutions while preserving standards in higher education.