GTEC Mandates Certificate Verification for Health Sector Recruitment

The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has directed that all prospective applicants seeking employment within agencies under the Ministry of Health must submit their tertiary qualifications for evaluation and verification as part of the recruitment process.

The directive, contained in a letter addressed to the Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, follows clearance granted by the Ministry of Finance for the recruitment of staff across the health sector.

Crackdown on Fake Credentials

GTEC, established under the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023), is mandated to accredit tertiary institutions and academic programmes, as well as verify the authenticity of certificates, diplomas, degrees, and other academic qualifications.

In a letter dated April 9, 2026, and signed by the Deputy Director-General, Augustine Ocloo, the Commission cited the growing prevalence of fraudulent certificates and qualifications obtained from unaccredited or unrecognised institutions as the basis for the directive.

“The Commission requests that all prospective applicants to agencies under the Ministry of Health submit their academic credentials, particularly tertiary-level qualifications (Diplomas, Bachelor’s Degrees, Master’s Degrees, and PhDs) to the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission for evaluation and verification as part of the recruitment process,” the statement read.

Urgent Directive for Health Agencies

The Commission urged that the directive be treated with the utmost urgency, signalling tighter scrutiny in the recruitment of health professionals and support staff.

While the directive applies broadly to agencies under the Ministry of Health, the letter did not specify the particular institutions that would be affected.

Ensuring Integrity in Health Sector Hiring

The move is expected to strengthen transparency and credibility in health sector recruitment, amid ongoing concerns about the use of forged academic credentials in public service employment.

Officials say the requirement will help ensure that only qualified and duly certified individuals are engaged to deliver critical healthcare services.