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Legal practitioner, Martin Kpebu, has petitioned the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) on behalf of the Swiss Management Centre (SMC) University Alumni Association (Ghana Chapter), urging the Commission’s Governing Board to intervene in what he describes as the “illegal derecognition” of degrees awarded by SMC University (Switzerland). In a petition dated October 27, 2025, and addressed to the Board Chairman of GTEC, Kpebu argued that the directive issued by the Director-General of GTEC, which declared SMC University degrees unrecognized, was procedurally and substantively irregular, and violated principles of fairness, due process, and legitimate expectation. According to the petition, SMC University was formally accredited by the then National Accreditation Board (NAB) between 2012 and 2018 as a foreign tertiary institution authorized to operate in Ghana. During that period, it offered various doctoral and professional programmes, including the Doctor of Finance (DFin), Doctor of Management (DoM), and Doctor of Business Administration (DBA). Kpebu noted that the NAB’s withdrawal of SMC University’s accreditation in 2018 was based on its “home-country accreditation” status, but allowed students already enrolled at the time to complete their studies and receive valid degrees. Multiple official communications, he said, confirmed that degrees awarded under valid NAB accreditation remained legitimate even after the withdrawal. However, the recent directive by the current GTEC administration allegedly reversed those assurances, instructing employers and institutions not to recognize SMC degrees. The petition describes the move as “ultra vires,” arguing that it was issued without the approval or ratification of GTEC’s Governing Board, contrary to provisions of the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023). “The directive seeks to apply retrospectively to degrees lawfully earned years earlier, contrary to established legal principles and Article 107 of the 1992 Constitution, which prohibits retrospective laws,” the petition stated. The petition further claims that the decision violates the graduates’ legitimate expectations that their degrees, obtained under valid accreditation, would remain recognised permanently. It also accuses GTEC of denying affected parties the right to a hearing, thereby breaching principles of natural justice and due process. Kpebu warned that the directive could cause severe reputational and psychological harm to hundreds of SMC graduates in Ghana, including loss of employment opportunities, demotions, and public misperception that their qualifications are fraudulent. The petition, therefore, calls on the GTEC Board to: Set aside the directive pending a full review by the Board. Reaffirm the validity of degrees obtained under NAB accreditation up to 2018. Issue an official clarification to employers and the public to correct misperceptions regarding SMC degrees. In his concluding remarks, Kpebu emphasised that the Alumni Association supports GTEC’s role in maintaining standards in higher education but urged the Board to act swiftly to restore confidence in Ghana’s regulatory system and protect innocent graduates. “We appeal for the urgent intervention of the Governing Board to restore confidence in the regulatory system, protect innocent graduates, and avert possible litigation and public mistrust in GTEC,” the petition concluded.
