GIMPA PhD students have finally broken their silence, responding sharply to recent comments by the Rector, whom they accuse of justifying the “chaos” in the programme under the guise of quality assurance.
This development follows an exclusive investigation by newsalertgh.com last week, which exposed prolonged delays, bureaucratic frustrations, and mass attrition within the PhD programme. That report revealed that some students have been stuck in the system for close to a decade, sparking national conversations about academic governance at GIMPA.
In response, the Rector of GIMPA, Professor Samuel Kwaku Bonsu, described the claims as misleading and lacking context. The Institute clarified that while it acknowledges the concerns raised, it remains firmly committed to upholding high academic standards and integrity across all levels of its programmes, especially at the doctoral level.
But the “Concerned PhD Students of GIMPA” have expressed their disappointment in those claims and have accused the Rector of seeking to explain away the problems instead of fixing them.
“His comments inadvertently undermine faculty members and supervisors, particularly at the School of Public Service and Governance,” portions of a statement signed by the students read.
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The students stressed that the programme was officially structured to last three years, but many have been trapped for seven to ten years.
“The PhD programme was designed for a specified period of three (3) years. However, many students have remained in the programme for between seven (7) and ten (10) years. This prolonged duration should be a matter of grave concern to the Rector if competence and results are priorities for the Institute.”
The students accused the Rector of collapsing the Graduate School, the body responsible for coordinating all postgraduate programmes.
We note with concern the unilateral decision by the Rector to abolish the Graduate School, a body that traditionally coordinates all postgraduate programmes, including PhDs. This action, which reportedly stemmed from personal differences, directly contravenes the Governing Council’s directive and the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) requirement that all universities offering graduate programmes must maintain a Graduate School.”
The students said that instead of streamlining processes, the Rector has created unnecessary obstacles.
“The creation of ad hoc committees to re-examine these, already vetted by qualified professors, only introduces avoidable bureaucracy,” they lamented.
According to them, even when the Governing Council ordered the abolition of such committees, the Rector introduced another layer called the ‘Gatekeeper’ in the Deputy Rector’s office.
“This ‘Gatekeeper’ process, with extra vetting and pre-viva sessions, extends thesis processing by an average of three years,” they noted.
The students strongly refuted the Rector’s claim that 35 PhD students have graduated.
“In reality, only 17 students from the School of Public Service and Governance have completed the programme since 2014. Those who have abandoned the programme far outnumber those who have graduated.”
“We are mature individuals, many with decades of professional experience. We respect institutional processes, but we will not be used as collateral in administrative disputes.”
The students then posed four hard-hitting questions:
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How long did it take you personally to complete your PhD?
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Are you satisfied that out of over 100 students, only 17 have graduated?
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Are you concerned that under your leadership, GIMPA risks becoming a ghost community?
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Has GIMPA ever been in the news for such negative reasons before now?
The students also stressed called on authorities, including faculty, alumni, the Governing Council, and the general public, to pay close attention to the situation.
“All we want is a fair academic process and a school we can be proud of.”
By: Ekow Annan/newsalertgh.com
