The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has directed the University for Development Studies (UDS) to immediately stop delivering its accredited evening Bachelor of Laws (LLB) programme as a weekend programme. Corrections Policy
The directive follows concerns that students admitted to the university’s approved evening LLB programme were being required to transition to weekend classes without prior regulatory approval.
In a letter dated October 5, 2026, and addressed to the Vice-Chancellor of UDS in Tamale, GTEC said the university’s LLB programme was accredited specifically for evening delivery and could not be changed to a different mode without the Commission’s approval.
The letter was signed by GTEC Deputy Director-General Prof. Augustine Ocloo on behalf of the Director-General.
GTEC consequently instructed UDS to cease the weekend delivery arrangement with immediate effect and restore the programme to the approved evening mode.
The Commission also directed the university to discontinue any arrangement requiring students who were admitted to the evening programme to convert to weekend studies.
More importantly, GTEC said affected students must be returned to the approved mode of delivery without suffering any academic or financial disadvantage as a result of the university’s decision.
The regulatory action places the issue of programme accreditation and mode of delivery at the centre of the dispute.
According to GTEC, the mode through which an accredited programme is delivered forms part of the conditions under which the programme receives approval.
Those conditions are assessed based on factors including academic staffing, infrastructure, teaching arrangements, contact hours and quality assurance systems.
The Commission therefore said an institution cannot independently change the approved mode of delivery of an accredited programme without obtaining prior written approval.
GTEC described the alleged conversion of the evening LLB programme into a weekend programme as a material departure from the conditions attached to the programme’s accreditation.
The Commission warned that such a change could have implications for the number of academic contact hours students receive, the availability of lecturers, access to teaching and learning facilities and the university’s ability to maintain approved quality assurance arrangements.
The matter is particularly important for students enrolled in professional and career-oriented programmes such as law, where the structure and quality of academic delivery can affect students’ preparation for further professional training.
UDS itself has previously advertised its Post-First-Degree LLB programme as an evening programme.
In its 2024/2025 admission notice, the university described the three-year programme as an evening course running from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily for applicants who already hold a first degree.
The university’s 2026/2027 Faculty of Law admission announcement also identifies the Post-First-Degree LLB as an evening session running from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on weekdays.
The programme is designed for graduates with at least a Second-Class Lower Division degree or its equivalent from a recognized institution.
The latest GTEC directive therefore reinforces the delivery arrangement that UDS has publicly outlined for the programme. Editorial Ethics & Independence
GTEC has given the university seven days to provide documentary evidence showing full compliance with the directive.
The Commission has also instructed UDS to formally communicate the decision to all affected students and the relevant academic and administrative units within the institution.
The Commission warned that failure to comply could result in further regulatory action without additional notice.
Possible sanctions include suspension, withdrawal or revocation of the programme’s accreditation, as well as a directive stopping further admissions into the programme.
GTEC also made clear that it would not recognize the continued delivery of the LLB programme in a mode that has not been duly approved.
The development highlights the regulatory role GTEC plays in Ghana’s tertiary education sector.
The Commission is responsible for accreditation and quality assurance and describes its mandate as protecting the credibility of Ghanaian qualifications and ensuring institutions meet required academic standards.
For students affected by the directive, one of the most significant aspects is GTEC’s instruction that they should not suffer academic or financial disadvantage.
This means the university is expected to manage the transition in a way that protects students who enrolled based on the approved programme structure. Editorial Standards
The directive also serves as a reminder to tertiary institutions that accreditation covers more than simply the name or academic content of a programme.
Approved delivery arrangements form part of the regulatory framework under which students are admitted and taught.
Changing those arrangements without regulatory clearance can therefore create uncertainty for students and expose institutions to sanctions.
As the seven-day compliance period approaches, attention will be on how UDS responds to the directive and how it communicates the changes to students enrolled in the affected LLB programme.
For now, GTEC’s position is clear, the accredited evening LLB programme must return to its approved evening mode, while students affected by the weekend arrangement must be protected from academic or financial loss.
The case could also reinforce the importance of students checking the accreditation status and approved mode of delivery of programmes before enrolling, particularly where institutions offer multiple study schedules for working professionals and other learners.