GTEC has directed all 46 Colleges of Education in Ghana to commence admissions for the 2026/2027 academic year immediately while awaiting approval of new fees.
Category: Teacher Education / Admissions & Academic Updates
Article Information
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Development | GTEC directs Colleges of Education to commence admissions |
| Academic Year | 2026/2027 |
| Institutions affected | All 46 Colleges of Education |
| Issuing institution | Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) |
| Date of letter | September 30, 2026 |
| Reference | HA121/1/01 |
| Key issue | Delay in admissions pending approval of new fees |
| Interim fee instruction | 2025/2026 fees to apply pending approval of new fees |
| Applicants affected | 2026 WASSCE applicants seeking admission to Colleges of Education |
Fact Check & Editorial Review
Source: GTEC directive dated September 30, 2026, addressed to the Principals of Colleges of Education.
The directive indicates that GTEC is aware that the Colleges of Education had not commenced admission of fresh students for the 2026/2027 academic year while awaiting approval of the new fee schedule.
GTEC has consequently directed the 46 Colleges of Education to commence the admission process immediately.
Pending approval of the new 2026/2027 fees by the Minister responsible for Education, the colleges are directed to use the 2025/2026 approved fees.
This means applicants should distinguish between commencement of admissions and final approval of the new fee schedule. The directive does not, by itself, establish an exact date on which every college’s admission portal will become active.
Key Takeaways
- GTEC has directed all 46 Colleges of Education to commence admissions for 2026/2027 immediately.
- The directive addresses delays associated with the approval of the new fee schedule.
- Colleges are to use the 2025/2026 fees temporarily while awaiting approval of the new fees.
- The fees can subsequently be reviewed once the new 2026/2027 schedule receives the required approval.
- The development is particularly significant for 2026 WASSCE applicants who applied to Colleges of Education.
- Applicants should watch their selected colleges’ official admission channels for admission notices and instructions.
- The GTEC directive does not mean that every applicant has automatically gained admission.
In Brief
The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has directed Ghana’s 46 Colleges of Education to begin admitting fresh students for the 2026/2027 academic year.
The directive follows delays in the commencement of admissions while the colleges awaited approval of the new fee schedule.
As an interim measure, GTEC has instructed the colleges to apply the 2025/2026 approved fees while the new fees await approval by the Minister responsible for Education.
The development removes one of the major administrative issues that had been holding back the start of the 2026/2027 admission process.
GTEC Directs Colleges of Education to Start Admissions
In a letter dated September 30, 2026, the Director-General of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission, Prof. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, addressed all Principals of Colleges of Education on the commencement of admissions for the 2026/2027 academic year.
The letter, referenced HA121/1/01, addresses the delay in admitting fresh students.
According to the directive, GTEC had noted that the Colleges of Education had not commenced admissions because they were awaiting approval of the new fees for the 2026/2027 academic year.
GTEC has now directed the colleges to commence the admission process immediately.
This is significant for thousands of applicants who have been waiting for the Colleges of Education admission process to move forward following the 2026 WASSCE.
Why Were Admissions Delayed?
The central issue identified in the GTEC directive is the approval of the 2026/2027 fee schedule.
Colleges of Education need an approved fee structure before finalising the financial arrangements for newly admitted students.
However, waiting for the new fees had resulted in a delay in the commencement of admissions.
GTEC’s latest directive separates the two processes.
The colleges can now proceed with admissions while the approval process for the new fees continues.
This means the absence of an approved 2026/2027 fee schedule should no longer prevent the colleges from commencing admissions.
What Fees Will Fresh Students Pay?
This is one of the most important parts of the directive for applicants and parents.
GTEC has directed the Colleges of Education to use the approved 2025/2026 fees as the interim fee arrangement.
In practical terms, the colleges are not required to wait for the new fee schedule before admitting fresh students.
The existing approved fees will apply pending the approval of the new 2026/2027 fees.
Once the new fees are approved, the applicable charges may be reviewed in accordance with the approved fee structure.
Important clarification
Applicants should not assume that they will automatically be required to pay a particular top-up amount.
The actual financial implications will depend on the final 2026/2027 fee schedule once it receives the necessary approval.
Therefore, students should rely on official fee notices from their respective Colleges of Education rather than unofficial figures circulating on social media.
What This Means for 2026 WASSCE Applicants
For applicants who applied to Colleges of Education, the development is particularly important.
The admissions process can now move forward.
However, applicants should understand what the directive does and does not mean.
It means:
Admissions can commence.
It does not necessarily mean:
Every applicant has already been admitted.
Admission still depends on the applicable selection and admission processes of the Colleges of Education.
Applicants should therefore monitor the official admission channels of the colleges to which they applied.
What Applicants Should Do Now
Applicants should take the following steps.
1. Keep checking official admission channels
Check the official communication channels of the College or Colleges of Education selected during the application process.
2. Keep your application details available
Applicants should retain their application numbers, index numbers, examination details and other relevant information.
3. Do not pay unofficial agents
Applicants should be cautious about individuals claiming that they can secure admission or influence placement for a fee.
Admission information should be obtained from the official college.
4. Wait for the official admission notice
The GTEC directive authorises the colleges to commence admissions. Individual admission notifications will still be issued through the relevant institutional processes.
5. Check the fee information carefully
Since the 2025/2026 fees are being used as an interim arrangement, applicants should carefully check the official payment instructions issued by their college.
Does This Mean the Admission Portals Will Open Immediately?
The directive’s instruction is that admissions should commence immediately.
However, applicants should not interpret that wording as meaning that all 46 colleges will necessarily activate their online admission portals at exactly the same time.
Individual colleges may have administrative steps to complete before publishing their admission lists or activating particular admission procedures.
Therefore, the safest position is:
GTEC has directed the colleges to commence admissions immediately, while applicants should await the official admission instructions from their respective colleges.
This distinction is important because admission commencement and publication of an individual applicant’s admission status are not necessarily the same event.
Why This Development Matters
The Colleges of Education are a major pathway into Ghana’s teacher education system.
Delays in admitting new students can have consequences for:
- Academic calendars
- Orientation programmes
- Registration
- Accommodation arrangements
- Student financing
- Teaching and learning schedules
- The overall commencement of the academic year
GTEC’s directive therefore provides an administrative pathway for the colleges to proceed while the fee approval process continues.
Rather than allowing the fee approval process to hold up admissions entirely, the colleges can use the existing approved fee structure temporarily.
The Process in Simple Terms
The current situation can be summarised in five steps:
1. 2026 WASSCE completed
↓
2. Applicants applied to Colleges of Education
↓
3. Admission commencement delayed amid fee approval process
↓
4. GTEC directs all 46 colleges to commence admissions immediately
↓
5. 2025/2026 fees apply temporarily pending approval of 2026/2027 fees
This is the central message applicants and parents need to understand.
What Applicants Should Not Assume
There are several points applicants should avoid assuming prematurely.
Admission is not automatic
GTEC’s directive allows the colleges to proceed with admissions. It does not mean every person who applied has been selected.
The final 2026/2027 fees are not yet the interim fees
The colleges have been directed to use the existing 2025/2026 fees while awaiting approval of the new fee structure.
A final top-up amount should not be guessed
Applicants should wait for the official approved fee schedule before determining any additional amount that may become payable.
All colleges may not publish admission information simultaneously
The directive applies to all 46 Colleges of Education, but each institution may have its own administrative processes for releasing admission information.
What Parents Should Know
Parents and guardians should be particularly cautious about unofficial admission and fee information.
The announcement may create increased activity from individuals claiming to have access to admission lists or offering to secure admission.
Parents should verify:
- The name of the College of Education.
- The applicant’s admission status.
- The official admission instructions.
- The approved fee information.
- The authorised payment channel.
No applicant should make a payment solely because an individual claims that admission is available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has GTEC approved admissions for Colleges of Education for 2026/2027?
GTEC has directed the 46 Colleges of Education to commence admissions immediately for the 2026/2027 academic year.
Why were the admissions delayed?
The GTEC directive indicates that the colleges had been waiting for approval of the new 2026/2027 fees.
What fees will fresh students pay initially?
The colleges have been directed to use the approved 2025/2026 fees while awaiting approval of the new 2026/2027 fees.
Will students later have to pay additional fees?
The new fee structure is still subject to the required approval. Applicants should therefore wait for the officially approved 2026/2027 fee schedule before assuming what any subsequent adjustment will be.
Are all 2026 WASSCE applicants guaranteed admission?
No. The directive concerns the commencement of the admission process. Admission remains subject to the applicable selection and admission requirements.
Are all 46 Colleges of Education affected?
Yes. The directive is addressed to the Principals of the Colleges of Education and directs the colleges to commence admissions.
When will individual applicants receive their admission letters?
The GTEC directive directs colleges to commence admissions immediately but does not establish a single date on which every applicant will receive an admission letter. Applicants should monitor official institutional channels.
What Happens Next?
The next stage is for the individual Colleges of Education to operationalise the directive.
Applicants should therefore expect colleges to begin releasing admission information as their respective administrative processes are completed.
At the same time, the Ministry’s fee-approval process will determine the final 2026/2027 fee structure.
For applicants, the immediate message is straightforward:
The wait for Colleges of Education admissions to commence has reached a significant turning point. GTEC has directed the 46 colleges to proceed with admissions while the new fee approval process continues.
Conclusion
The latest GTEC directive provides an important development for applicants seeking admission to Ghana’s Colleges of Education for the 2026/2027 academic year.
With all 46 Colleges of Education directed to commence admissions immediately, the process can now move forward despite the outstanding approval of the new fee schedule.
In the interim, colleges are to apply the 2025/2026 approved fees while awaiting approval of the new fees.
For 2026 WASSCE applicants, the practical step now is to monitor the official admission channels of their selected Colleges of Education, keep their application information available and rely on official notices for admission status and payment instructions.
EducateGhana.com will continue to monitor the admission process and publish verified updates as individual Colleges of Education release their admission information.
About the Author
Ferdinand Ellis is a Ghanaian educator, curriculum specialist, researcher and education policy analyst. He is the founder of EducateGhana.com, Ghana’s Education Intelligence Platform, and writes on teacher education, curriculum implementation, admissions, education policy and Ghana’s education system.
Editorial Note
This report is based on the GTEC directive dated September 30, 2026, Reference HA121/1/01, addressed to Principals of Colleges of Education. Applicants should rely on official admission and fee notices issued by their respective institutions for individual admission status, payment instructions and any subsequent fee adjustments.
