News:
August 26, 2025
In the wake the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission’s (GTEC) attempt at clamping down on alleged abuse of academic titles particularly “Dr and Professor” titles in Ghana, a development that has generated a lot of brouhaha, the Member of Parliament for Wa East Dr. Godfred Seidu Jasaw in his opinion believes the conversation is needless and a mix up.
According to him Africans have a culture attached to titles and it is an identity of distinction and dignity.
In an interview with Ghanamps.com as to whether as a nation we would bring finality to this brouhaha, he noted that it is the Ghanaian citizens who give some of these titles and if the law permits GTEC to spend our resources this way and citizens of Ghana are fine with it, so be it, “but I am expressing my opinion”.
He said the manner and mode of communication with regard to these titles must also be looked at, stating that “when it is communicated as if it is intended to embarrass people, that is where I see it as a needless venture. We should not waste the nation’s time and resources; if we want to show that in our jurisdiction this is the way we want to go, we should clarify it”.
The former lecture noted that in America they revere professorship; a young lecturer once you teach, they call you professor – it does not mean you have obtained the rank of a professor, it is a nomenclature loosely used in that context. “In Europe, I went to London School of Economics; my professor would not allow you call him a professor, just call him David – that is enough”.
He added that he has encountered a number of colleagues in academia who do not bother that you call them by their titles. But here in Africa, it is not; we call ourselves by the titles. “I taught in the university for twelve years, I hold a PhD and attain the rank of a senior lecturer and put in my application to be associate professor.”
He further added that, it is the society that calls you those titles; “look at me, at the Public Account Committee public hearing, I introduced myself with my name Jasaw without title; but when I am writing and there is the need to do that, I add it, but society thinks that they should assign that title to you – it’s a mark of excellence, distinction, they want to give you that dignity and respect”.
I think in the face of what GTEC is doing, my question is “to what end? So we should look at our culture context and see if we want to waste the nation’s time and resources debating these things. You say someone does not have a doctorate but his or her society as a sign of class, they give him or her a title like chief, Hon”.
“In my case, instead of calling me Dr. they call professor, do you have to spend time and say no I am not a professor? He is the one assigning them to you, we need to be careful how we look at this”, he added.
In the case of Professor Grace Ayensu she is a specialist – she has taught in the university, teaching people surgery for fifteen years, and that is clearly the context of her use of professor; take it or leave it, that is a professor.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com