The Goaso Nursing and Midwifery Training College has made a remarkable breakthrough over the years, culminating in an increase of student population from 1,060 against initial 46 in 2010.
As the first midwifery training school in the Ahafo region, it has achieved its objective of training midwives to curb high maternal mortality in the region, having trained 800 professional midwives and 450 General Nurses, since its inception in December 2010.
The school, which started as a Post NAP/NAC Midwifery school added the Registered Midwifery and Registered General Nursing programmes in 2015 and 2017 respectively.
This year, the school admitted 374 students out of which 193 and 171 are pursuing the Registered Midwifery and General Nursing programmes respectively, with 10 into the Post NAP/NAC Midwifery Programme.
The Principal of the College, Samuel Ansu-Frimpong who disclosed these at the 13th Matriculation ceremony last Friday said following the decline in admissions for the Post NAP/NAC Midwifery programme, stakeholders have decided to replace it with the Public Health Nursing programme which is currently awaiting approval by the relevant authorities.
On student academic performance in the Licensing Examinations organized by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, Mr. Ansu-Frimpong said the school has consistently scored above 85% over the years mentioning that a former midwifery student, Ms. Christiana Tawiah, had been adjudged the overall best midwifery student in Ghana and is yet to receive her award in Accra on April 25, 2023.
He disclosed that the Registered General Nursing group scored 100% with nine distinctions in the 2022 KNUST terminal examinations, while the Registered Midwifery group had 98.2%.
Speaking to the theme of the matriculation ceremony: “Infrastructural development, key to excellent nursing and Midwifery education”, the principal announced that the College had constructed a 2-unit classroom block, while a 120- capacity ICT laboratory is about 80% complete to facilitate the Nursing and Midwifery Council examination.
According to him, construction of an 80- bed capacity hostel is underway to reduce accommodation challenges in the school
The projects, he said, are being funded through the College’s Internally Generated Fund and called on the Municipal Assembly, Stakeholders Association and benevolent organisations to come to the aid of the school to complete them as early as possible to address the infrastructure deficiency.
The deficiency is evident in inadequate lecture halls resulting in a dining hall being used as a lecture hall coupled with congestion in the existing hostels as a result of which 50% of students reside outside campus and thus compelling the College to rent seven hostels at various location in the community at a high cost of rent and transportation.
Principal Ansu-Frimpong mentioned other challenges facing the college as lack of accommodation for staff on campus affecting effective teaching and monitoring, expansion of the skills lab and library and a school bus.
He hoped the President would redeem a promise he made recently to provide the College with a new school bus.
The principal advised the students to pursue their calling with patience, commitment and selflessness and take their theoretical and practical training seriously as well as uphold high standards of discipline as students.
Mr. Ansu-Frimpong also thanked the Member of Parliament for the Area and the Municipal Chief Executive for the construction of first floor of a hostel facility which is currently accommodating 60 students and appealed for support to continue with the construction of the second floor of the project.
The principal specially thanked Nana Kwasi Bosompra I, the Omanhene of Goaso and Mrs. Joyce Oduro of Enirob Pharmaceutical company for their support and donation of teaching and learning materials and a Spinter Benz bus.
The Catholic Bishop of Goaso Diocese, the Presbyterian Church and one Mr. Mark Donkor were mentioned for providing shelter for students of the College.
