We write with respect to a statement issued by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and signed by its General Secretary, Mr. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, regarding the operation of some fifty three (53) unaccredited tertiary education institutions in Ghana.
While appreciating the NPP’s shared concern on the negative impact of these unaccredited institutions on the future of our youth, we find it rather unfortunate that the statement could ascribe criminal dereliction of duty to NAB which was not borne out of the facts. How criminality and irresponsibility can be ascribed to members and staff of this state agency without any effort to seek an understanding of the workings of the Board can only be described as very unfortunate.
We wish to state clearly that the law that set up the institution - National Accreditation Board Act, 2007 (Act 744) and the Legislative Instrument-Tertiary Institutions (Establishment and Accreditation) Regulations, 2010 (L.I 1984) as they stand now do not empower the NAB to close down any unaccredited tertiary education institution. The Board in this instance cannot work outside its regulatory ambit. However, the Board is working closely with the Ministry of Education to have the legal framework reviewed to give NAB the needed legal backing to be able to physically close down and prosecute operators of unaccredited institutions.
Despite this handicap, NAB has been very responsible and proactive by publishing at the beginning of every year a full list of all accredited institutions to enable the general public, parents and especially students make informed decisions on institutions that are credible and accredited. The Board has over the years also employed the use of the mass media to sensitize the public on the need to always cross check the status of institutions and their programmes with it before enrolling on them.
With this in view, we find it difficult to comprehend your classification of NAB as being irresponsible and a threat to the status of tertiary education in Ghana. This is to say the least, a slur on the integrity of the distinguished Professors and other professionals on the National Accreditation Board.
We are open to constructive criticisms and wish to assure all that we are committed to our mandate and intend to work with all stakeholders in pursuance of it. We therefore need to work together to bring sanity in the system without necessarily turning our arsenal on ourselves.
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