- Victoria Bright defends GTEC's investigation into academic title misuse
- Emphasizes importance of protecting education credibility
- Urges Ghanaians to stop attacking regulators enforcing standards
Former Deputy Minister of State at the Presidency, Victoria Bright, has spoken out in support of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) amid an ongoing public dispute over the use of academic titles.
Bright, who served under President Kufuor, dismissed claims that the regulator is unfairly targeting individuals, stating that GTEC’s actions are not a witch hunt.
Her comments follow a high-profile disagreement between GTEC and Deputy Health Minister Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah over the latter’s use of the title “Professor.” GTEC’s Director-General, Prof. Ahmed Abdulai Jinapor, rejected a two-week ultimatum from Dr. Ayensu-Danquah’s legal team, insisting her claims to the academic rank lack consistency and supporting documentation.
Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express on Monday, August 18, Bright criticized attempts to frame GTEC’s actions as biased or politically driven.
“What GTEC is doing is not a witch hunt. I don’t understand why people are acting like victims. If you have the degree, just show it — simple,” she said.
Bright emphasized that the issue is not about personal pride, but about safeguarding the integrity of Ghana’s education system.
“This is about protecting credibility, fairness, and our international reputation. I don’t see why people are making it political or attacking GTEC for doing its job. What they’re doing is legal and necessary,” she added.
Highlighting the real-world dangers of fake qualifications, Bright recalled incidents involving imposters in critical professions.
“We’ve had fake doctors performing surgeries without any qualifications — that can cost lives. Unqualified teachers are harming children’s futures. This is serious,” she warned.
She criticized what she called a culture of mediocrity and hostility toward those enforcing standards.
“We need to stop celebrating mediocrity and attacking people doing the right thing. If we want to rebuild our country, we must stop actions that damage our image. We’ve repeated these mistakes for far too long — it’s enough.”
Her message was clear: academic and professional titles must be earned, not claimed without merit.
“If you’re not a doctor, lawyer, or professor, don’t claim the title. If you want it, earn it the right way.”
