The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has pushed back against a proposed policy by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to standardise promotion criteria for academic senior members across public universities.

In a petition addressed to the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, through the UTAG National Secretariat, the association criticised the proposal, arguing that it was introduced without sufficient engagement with key stakeholders within the tertiary education sector.

UTAG-KNUST challenged GTEC’s assertion that variations in promotion requirements among public universities necessitate harmonisation, describing the justification as weak and lacking adequate evidence.

According to the association, differences in promotion structures reflect the unique mandates, governance systems, and academic traditions of individual institutions and should not be viewed as shortcomings requiring uniform regulation.

The group further questioned why the proposed reforms target academic staff promotions alone when disparities also exist among other categories of university employees.

“Are academic staff the only category of university personnel where differences in conditions and structures exist?” the association asked, insisting that diversity among institutions is an intentional feature of Ghana’s higher education system.

UTAG-KNUST warned that imposing a common promotion framework could erode institutional independence and weaken the distinctive academic character that public universities have developed over the years.

Instead, the association urged GTEC to focus on more pressing challenges confronting the tertiary education sector, including inadequate infrastructure, staffing shortages, high student-to-lecturer ratios, and limited teaching and research resources.

It also called for greater attention to the categorisation and development of universities based on their capacities and mandates, arguing that such reforms would have a more meaningful impact on higher education than changes to promotion procedures.

The association cited institutions facing resource constraints, including the University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD), as examples of areas where intervention is urgently needed.

UTAG-KNUST further signalled its reluctance to support the implementation of the proposed framework, maintaining that unresolved disparities in infrastructure and staffing should take precedence over attempts to standardise promotion systems.

According to the association, existing governance arrangements already provide university councils with the authority needed to manage promotions and academic affairs, making additional intervention unnecessary.