17 - Quality and accreditation of private higher education in Ghana

Abstract

Quality in private higher education (PHE) in Ghana started in the 1990s. Sub-Saharan African governments allowed the provision of PHE due to their lack of capacity to support public higher education institutions and absorb the growing qualified postsecondary applicants. To ensure and preserve quality in these institutions, there was a need for procedures that private higher education institutions (PHEIs) have to undergo to gain accreditation. In Ghana, accreditation is mandatory for both private and public higher education institutions. The National Accreditation Board (NAB) has the responsibility of ensuring institutional and program accreditation. When institutions are accredited by an external body, the consumer is protected, and it signifies to the public that the PHEIs are validated, have requisite resources, and were following the rules and norms. Using Ghana as a case study, this chapter indicates that accreditation enables the institutions to be recognized in their environment. Private providers in Ghana must also be affiliated to a chartered higher education institution that supervises the institution and awards certificate to graduates among others. Both the NAB of Ghana and PHEIs have peculiar challenges. Nevertheless, the NAB has brought sanity into the Ghanaian higher education landscape. Private providers are aware of sanctions if they flout the accreditation board’s regulations.