A total of 102 freshers out of 347 who gained admission into the Bolgatanga Nursing Training College in the Upper East Region for the 2025/2026 academic year have turned down the offer of admission due to the poor state of the school and the limited programme options available.
According to the Principal of the College, Winifred Porsaa Wondong, six students have so far discontinued the course after reporting to school and that by the time this badge of students is in the final year, the number will further reduce, a situation she said is worrying.
As an old school located in the regional capital since the late 1960s which has produced a lot of professional nurses and health academicians including principals of nursing colleges across the nation, Bolga NTC is still battling with infrastructure and academic facilities as well as limited programme options.
During the matriculation of 272 new students into the College, Madam Porsaa Wondong disclosed the many challenges the institution is battling with which need immediate and urgent attention.
She cited limited programme options, inadequate residential accommodation for students resulting to congestion, dilapidated auditorium posing risk to students and staff alike, inadequate lecture halls, land dispute and lack of fence wall, inadequate and over aged vehicles with high cost of maintenance, high student attrition and many others.
“We are appealing to the old students of Nursing Training College, Bolgatanga through Professor Vida Yakong to come to the aid of the College. No contribution is small and we welcome any proposals that will see this institution take its rightful place as a regional health institution”, the Principal said.
“We would equally be grateful if the Regional Minister, MCE and MP could use their influence to lobby GETFund for the allocation of a two-storey lecture block, two-storey residential accommodation one each for males and females, a two-storey administration block with library and computer laboratory to ease the infrastructure challenges of the College”, Winifred Porsaa Wondong added.
The Upper East Regional Minister, Donatus Akamugri Atanga who was the Guest of Honor at the matriculation ceremony, quickly assured the college of an ongoing effort to resolve most of the challenges of the College, especially the land dispute which sometimes creates tension between the institution and the Zaare community.
Donatus Akamugri Atanga said his office will ensure the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly channels some of its legacy project funds for the construction of some facilities the College is lacking.
According to the College authorities, there is a growing trend of a problem among the youth in the society, and nurses are not an exception.
“Some of you (matriculants) seated here try to live beyond your means resulting in immoral behaviors, Internet fraud and betting among others, all in your quest to own expensive devices, the cost of which some of you cannot genuinely afford. This problem cuts across all levels of tertiary institutions where some students use their school fees on betting and others”, the Principal stated.
The performance of candidates in the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) online licensing examination held between November and December 2025 was generally low. However, candidates of the College did very well. Out of a total of 227 candidates presented, 181 passed, representing 79.7% and 227 candidates passed the KNUST terminal examination with 25 students getting distinction.
By Tanko Mohammed Rabiu
