Colleges of Education in Ghana to Become Autonomous — No More University Affiliation!
The government of Ghana has announced plans to make all public Colleges of Education autonomous. This means the colleges will no longer operate under universities but will run on their own as independent degree-awarding institutions.
The news was published in the Daily Graphic (August 23, 2025 edition), quoting the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, who explained that the change will take effect once a revised legislation is passed by Parliament. The legislation will soon be presented to Cabinet before it moves to Parliament for approval.
The Minister explained that giving autonomy to the Colleges of Education will help them:
- Develop their own academic programs
- Award their own degrees
- Improve standards of teaching and learning
- Prevent exam results disparities among colleges
- Operate with more freedom and flexibility
This is a big step for teacher education in Ghana. For many years, Colleges of Education have been affiliated with universities such as UEW, UCC, KNUST, UDS UG and AAMUSTED. Under the new system, they will stand as independent university colleges, making them stronger and more recognized.
Education experts believe this change will help raise the quality of teacher training and give colleges more room to grow. It will also make Ghana’s teacher education system more competitive and attractive.
Why this is important for students
- Students will graduate directly from their college, not from an affiliated university.
- Colleges will have the power to design programs that meet the needs of basic schools in Ghana.
- Teacher trainees will benefit from a more flexible and modern education system.
This reform is part of the government’s long-term plan to transform Ghana’s education sector.
