Zuarungu Nursing Training College lacks Infrastructure

The Zuarungu Nurses Training College in the Upper East Region is grappling with infrastructural challenges, thus making teaching and learning difficult.

The College lacks adequate classroom blocks, dining hall, students’ hostel and lecturers' accommodation, among others.

Mr Michael Yidana Mantamia, the Principal of the College, said this at the launch of the 10th Anniversary celebration of the College, on the theme, “Good Health, Sustainable Peace and Discipline: the role of stakeholder”, held at Zuarungu.

The Principal said the College admitted students from all the regions in the country, and appealed to individuals and corporate bodies to aid.

He said in spite of the fact that the School was bedevilled with infrastructural challenges, it had over the years consistently performed well.

“Despite the infrastructural deficits, we are proud to mention that our academic performance, as organised and declared by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Ghana over the years, has consistently been high with this year’s performance being 99.7% success rate.”

He commended the Member of Parliament for the Bolgatanga East Constituency where the College is situated, Mr Dominic Ayine, and the Regional Minister, Mr Albert Abongo, for pledging on behalf of the Government to address some of their problems.

These include the provision of a students’ hostel , classroom block, dining hall complex and potable water.

Mr Mantamia, however, appealed to the two personalities to fast-track the process for the start of the project.

The Principal said the College had been staffed with good human resource and he was very optimistic that if it was given the necessary support it would become the centre of excellence for the training of students in nursing and midwifery in the region and beyond.

He said the Management of the College had initiated a move, through the 10th Anniversary celebration, to solicit for funds from generous persons and other organisations to build an auditorium for the College to be used as an examination centre and an assembly hall for students.

The Upper East Regional Minister, who was the special guest of honour, commended the College for its excellent performance over the years, despite the challenges.

He reiterated the Government’s commitment to support the College, saying the projects would begin in October this year.

“The Government is funding the construction of a two-storey-12-unit classroom block, a single storey dormitory block, dining hall with a kitchen and a mechanised borehole for the college,” he said.

“Tutors of the College are also given new conditions of service as their counterparts in tertiary institutions of the country. These are part of the Government’s commitment to improving access to quality health.”

Mr Abongo commended the Chief and People of the Zuarungu Community for leasing land for the building of the College and urged the students to be disciplined.

“A disciplined and ambitious student will not only shun bad company and habits, but also stay off confrontations with school authorities and needless demonstrations and destruction of school property,” Mr Abongo said.