The University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) has blocked 178 students from graduating after discovering over 500 altered academic records in its IT system. Vice-Chancellor Prof. John Kwaku Mensah Mawutor revealed that an external individual allegedly breached the university's system and changed students' marks. Some of the affected students reportedly paid money to have their results altered, with several admitting involvement during investigations.
According to Prof. Mawutor, the manipulation was not carried out from within the institution alone. An external individual allegedly gained unauthorized access to UPSA's academic database and changed students' records. Investigations have since led authorities to identify the person believed to be responsible for the security breach.
The Vice-Chancellor noted that a number of the students implicated had allegedly paid money in exchange for inflated academic marks. Several of those students are said to have acknowledged their involvement when questioned during the probe. UPSA clarified, however, that not every student whose results were found to have been altered necessarily played a direct role in arranging the changes.
Prof. Mawutor commended the university's Information Technology Department for identifying and tracing the tampered records within the academic database, crediting the team with enabling the broader investigation. The IT department's efforts ensured that the breach was detected and reported, allowing the university to take swift action.
Under UPSA's existing graduation guidelines, students facing unresolved disciplinary or examination malpractice matters are barred from participating in congregation ceremonies until those issues are settled. The 178 students caught up in this case therefore remain ineligible until the process runs its course.
The Vice-Chancellor assured students, parents and other stakeholders that UPSA would continue to act decisively against anyone found to have undermined the integrity of its academic systems, signalling that the institution regards the protection of legitimate academic records as non-negotiable. The university takes these matters seriously and will take all necessary steps to maintain academic integrity.
Earlier, UPSA released its 2026 undergraduate cut-off points for 59 undergraduate and diploma programmes. The published aggregates range from 10 for LLB Law to 34 across the listed courses, reflecting different entry requirements. This information was made available to prospective students to guide them in their academic pursuits.
Key points
- 178 students have been blocked from graduating due to altered academic records.
- Over 500 altered academic results were discovered in the university's IT system.
- The university's IT department played a crucial role in detecting the tampered records.
