The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has directed all public universities to reopen for the 2026/2027 academic year by Friday, October 16, 2026, despite the ongoing industrial action by GAUA and TUSAAG.
In a letter to all Vice-Chancellors dated October 13, GTEC said it was relaying a directive from the Minister for Education issued the same day.
The Ministry acknowledged the administrative challenges caused by the strike but stressed that “the indefinite suspension of academic activities has far-reaching implications for students’ academic progression, institutional operations, national tertiary education delivery and international academic partnerships.”
GTEC said the Ministries of Education and Finance and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission have begun talks with the leadership of the Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA) to speed up the resolution of its outstanding grievances.
Under the directive, public universities must reopen their campuses by Friday, October 16, regardless of any earlier decision to postpone and lectures must begin without fail on Monday, October 19, in line with each university’s academic arrangements.
GAUA members have also been asked to resume their administrative duties while the negotiations with the government continue in good faith.
The letter further directed Vice-Chancellors to also submit comprehensive Academic Reopening Readiness Reports to the Director-General’s office by Wednesday, October 14. The reports should set out measures for student registration, accommodation, teaching and learning, and essential administrative services.
Any institution that expects difficulty meeting the requirements must notify GTEC in writing immediately, stating the nature of the challenge and what it is doing about it.
