By Ali Elias
New rules to stop misuse, with penalties for offenders
The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has implemented a nationwide ban on the public use of “honorary doctorate” and “professorship” titles by individuals who did not earn them through academic study. The new directive, issued via statement by Acting Deputy Director General Augustine Ocloo, aims to “protect the integrity of Ghana’s higher education system” and safeguard the value of genuine doctoral achievements.
GTEC highlighted increasing misuse by politicians, business leaders, religious figures, and others who publicly adopt titles such as “Dr” or “Professor” despite holding only honorary degrees. The commission denounced the practice as “deceitful and unethical”, warning violators could face legal action, name-and-shame public campaigns, and other sanctions.
This crackdown aligns with recent remarks from Education Minister Prof Kingsley Nyarko, who warned that the free attribution of honorary doctorates “could diminish the pursuit of formal graduate studies… If obtaining a doctorate is as easy as buying one, there would be little incentive to pursue rigorous academic study.”
Honorary doctorates are symbolic tributes awarded by accredited universities to notable individuals for societal contributions—not for academic coursework or research. In contrast, earned doctorates (PhDs) require several years of study and substantial scholarly work.
However, Ghana has seen a troubling rise of unaccredited “degree mill” organizations selling honorary doctorates for a fee. GTEC and the National Accreditation Board have repeatedly flagged this trend. In 2016, the NAB urged recipients not to use “Dr” in official titles, stating plainly: “Honorary is honorary—you don’t even have to put it on your curriculum vitae.”
GTEC warns that institutions without proper accreditation—whether based abroad or operating under licensed local bodies—lack the authority to issue honoris causa titles. Violators will be held accountable under Regulation 19(1) of the 2010 Tertiary Institutions Establishment and Accreditation Regulation. The ban also expands into the realm of honorary professorships. Though less common, these titles have grown in circulation and face the same restrictions under the policy.
High-profile individuals like politicians, clerics, or business figures who include “Dr” or “Prof” on public platforms risk being publicly named and legally challenged by GTEC. Institutions without proper accreditation that award such titles risk penalties and legal exposure. Students and job applicants will likely benefit from enhanced clarity and protection against credential deception in recruitment processes.
Minister Nyarko has called on GTEC to intensify regulation, asserting that unregulated honorary titles “could undermine the true essence of academic achievement in Ghana.”