Why Ghana banned the use of honorary doctorates and professorship in public
Ghana’s Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has banned the public usage of honorific doctorate and professorial titles.
The directive aims to address misuse by politicians, religious leaders, and business figures, preserving academic integrity.
Honorary degrees are symbolic recognitions, distinct from earned academic achievements such as PhDs and professorships.
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In a statement signed by the Acting Deputy Director-General, Professor Augustine Ocloo, the commission expressed concern that the misuse of honourary titles—particularly by politicians, religious leaders and business figures—undermines the integrity of Ghana’s academic system.
Practice deemed misleading and unethical
The GTEC’s statement described the increasing public use of honourary titles as “deceitful and unethical”, warning that the trend erodes the value of genuine academic achievement.
