Tanoso CHNTS faces infrastructural challenges

The Community Health Nurses’ Training School (CHNTS) at Tanoso in the Tano-North District of Brong-Ahafo Region is beset with infrastructural challenges, Mr William A. Abotzabire, the Principal bemoaned on Friday.

He said after 10 years of its existence, the School was depending on rented infrastructures for students’ hostel accommodation, private rented house for the Principal and self-rented homes by the staff at high increasing cost.

Mr Abotzabire who was speaking at the seventh matriculation ceremony of the School therefore appealed to the District Assembly, Traditional Authorities and all stakeholders to come on board to support the institution in that regard through cash or kind.

The ceremony, which was on the theme “Reducing Maternal and Child Mortality, the Collaborative Role of the Community Health Nurse”, saw 178 students comprising 42 males and 136 females were matriculated to pursue the two-year certificate course in Community Health Nursing.

The Principal lamented the only one storey classroom block was currently in a deplorable state, saying it shakes with minimal strong steps and therefore posed danger to its users.

Mr Abotzabire expressed regret that the situation was having adverse effect on both the administrative and academic progress of the school because the students were often left under the protection and mercy of God after official working hours.

He stated such an atmosphere bred indiscipline and immoral practices, noting that consequently militated against academic performance.

The Principal cited within the last three years the School suffered a loss of motorbike, vehicles’ keys, student’s belongings and attempted rapes on female students, adding that the few staff who resided on campus had their homes broken into and their monies and items stolen by unknown assailants.

Mr Abotzabire said the institution’s one 33-seater Nissan Civilian bus being used for all their internal and external activities plus an Urvan mini bus and two Pick-up vehicles were not enough for their transportation needs.

He reported that beside 21 permanent tutors, seven teaching Assistants, 28 non-teaching staff, 13 temporal workers and four national service personnel, the School had a total student population of 392, consisting of 85 males and 307 females.

The Principal expressed satisfaction that despite their challenges and problems the School topped the nine CHNTSs in the country with 86.0 per cent results of the November 2013 Nurses and Midwifery Licensing Examination.

Mr Abotzabire announced that the School had contracted a Consultant to ensure the take off of the construction of their multi-purpose classroom project to be funded from the School’s Internally Generated Fund (IGF).

Ms Georgina Sam, Registrar of the Nurses and Midwifery Council (NMC) in Brong-Ahafo administered the matriculation oath to signify the official admission of the matriculates to the School.