A UK-based private academic institution, London Graduate School (www.LondonGS.co.uk) has justified doling out honorary doctorates to individuals after a two-day seminar costing $4,000 per participant.

The school’s Director of Programmes, Shadrack Yawnan, explained on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show Tuesday, the school has been insisting that the recipients of honorary degrees are not to add PhD to their documents because the award is not academic.

The school has been enbroiled in controversy after a Graphic reporter Mabel Aku Banasseh received a letter asking her to part with $4,000 as a condition to participate in a two-day seminar and walk away with an honourary Doctorate degree.

The fee cover tuition, course materials, a Master Class Certificate, lunch and snacks during the sessions at the MJ Grand Hotel in East Legon, Accra, managers of the awarding institution explained.

But in a live telephone conversation on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show Tuesday, the Director of Programmes dismissed reports that the conferment of the Doctorate of the Doctorate depends on the payments.

He said any offer of such a doctorate is not authentic and suggested that the offer cannot be coming from his Graduate School.

He explained that if a person provides reasons why he is unable to attend the two-day seminar, he will be exempt from paying the fee and still be considered for the honorary degree.

He explained that anyone seeking an honorary doctorate can however submit documents justifying why he is deserving of it.

The documents will be processed and a Board will sit and determine the suitability of the candidate. Shadrack Yawnan explained that the doctorate is for entrepreneurs and ‘matured people’.

Although the London Graduate School shares the same address (London Campus Building:9 Offord Close, London, N17 0TE) as the Commonwealth University, the Director explained that the Commonwealth University has appointed the London Graduate School to run the teaching prorammes of the University.

The London Graduate School is the administrator of the Commonwealth University, he said.

He said the School runs distance-learning degrees and therefore does not need accreditation in Ghana. He explained that the School is accredited by the International Association for Distance Learning

The Director explained he has no idea if the degrees it awards are acceptable to the National Accreditation Board. He recommends that applicants to the school would have to check with the National Accreditation Board accepts distance-learning degrees.

More to follow....

source:myjoyonline