A fierce battle has erupted at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) as a group of PhD students has publicly slammed the Rector, accusing him of using quality assurance as a pretext to justify crippling difficulties in the doctoral programme and creating unnecessary bureaucratic nightmares.
The Concerned PhD Students of GIMPA Monday issued a scathing statement in Accra, expressing disappointment and asserting that the Rector’s recent public commentary misrepresented the realities facing students and faculty, particularly in the School of Public Service and Governance.
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The students pointed to the shocking duration of the programme as a critical failing. While the PhD is formally structured for three years, they allege that many candidates have been trapped in the system, spending between seven and ten years without successful completion.
“This prolonged duration should be a matter of grave concern to the Rector if competence and results are priorities for the Institute,” the statement forcefully argued.
The group also directly challenged the Rector’s claim of 35 students graduating from the programme since its inception in 2014, insisting the true number is a mere 17 completions. They stressed that those who have abandoned the programme far outnumber those who have graduated.
The students also took issue with the Rector’s move to dissolve the Graduate School, which historically coordinates all postgraduate programmes. They labelled the decision unilateral and a violation of both the Governing Council’s directive and the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission’s (GTEC) mandatory requirement for all universities offering graduate programmes to maintain a Graduate School.
The statement alleged this action was rooted in personal differences.
Beyond the dissolution, the group highlighted the establishment of new multiple committees and the introduction of a new Gatekeeper process within the Deputy Rector’s office. They argue these new layers have created needless bureaucratic bottlenecks, alleging that the process, which requires additional vetting, pre-viva sessions, and clearances, has extended thesis processing by an average of three years.
Pledging respect for institutional processes but cautioning against administrative actions that frustrate students or use them as collateral in internal disputes, the students posed four sharp, direct questions to the Rector:
How long did it take the Rector personally to complete his PhD?
Is he satisfied that only 17 out of more than 100 admitted students have graduated since 2014?
Are you concerned that under your leadership, GIMPA risks becoming a ghost community?
The Concerned PhD Students are now appealing to the Governing Council, faculty, alumni, and the general public to urgently intervene to safeguard the integrity and reputation of GIMPA and ensure fair treatment for students pursuing their academic goals.