Church Leadership Moves to Uphold Integrity After GTEC Identifies 50 Unrecognized Schools
The Assemblies of God, Ghana, has issued a strong cautionary advisory to its pastoral body and members, urging them to avoid enrolling in, or using qualifications obtained from, unaccredited tertiary institutions. This decisive action follows the recent public notice released by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), which flagged a list of 50 unrecognized tertiary institutions operating in the country without the required regulatory approval.
In a statement signed by the General Superintendent of the church, Rev. Stephen Y. Wengam, and released on Tuesday, October 21, the Assemblies of God made it clear that it is actively working to "rid the church environment of unaccredited degrees and qualifications."
Zero Recognition for Unapproved Certificates
The church's leadership emphasized that the move is aimed at upholding academic integrity within the denomination. The statement expressly cautioned pastors against both enrolling in the unaccredited institutions and utilizing any certificates acquired from them.
Specifically, the Assemblies of God leadership stressed that any qualifications, including doctorates or professional certificates, obtained from unaccredited institutions will not be recognized within the church. This firm stance sends a clear message that the pursuit of higher education by its leaders must adhere to national standards of quality and accreditation.
The GTEC Context and Call for Due Diligence
The church's advisory comes just days after the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) published its formal notice on Monday, October 20, 2025. The GTEC notice, signed by its Director-General, Prof. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, explained that the listed institutions failed to meet Ghana’s required accreditation and quality assurance standards. GTEC had similarly warned the general public and heads of recognized institutions against engaging with the unapproved schools.
The Assemblies of God is now encouraging all its pastors to exercise due diligence by verifying the accreditation status of any institution directly with GTEC before committing to any form of further study. This proactive measure ensures that the church's leadership maintains the highest ethical and professional standards in their academic pursuits, aligning their qualifications with Ghana's established educational frameworks.