Sunyani NMTC advancing towards university status
The Sunyani Nurses and Midwifery Training College (NMTC) is advancing towards achieving University status.
The school has grown from Certificate awarding institution to Diploma in Nursing and health related courses.
According to authorities, the College (NMTC) is making great strides to create new opportunities for students to pursue higher education in various fields of study.
"As our campus continues to grow in size and student population increases, the college, situated adjacent the Regional Hospital in Sunyani, on a total land area of 42.3 acres is taking giant steps and strategic approach to advance towards a university status by 2025" the principal of the school said.
Vision of the school
The vision of the college is to attain and maintain academic excellence in the training of polyvalent nurses and midwives in the
Mission of the school
Its’ mission, authorities noted is to train polyvalent nurses who will cure, promote, restore health and alleviate suffering in individuals, families and communities within the health delivery system in a humane, efficient and effective manner through academic discipline, staff motivation and the use of modern teaching equipment.
Background of the school
Plans for the establishment of the college began in 1972 by the Ministry of Health with the aim to training nurses to serve the health needs of the people of Brong-Ahafo Region and its environs.
The project was however abandoned due to political instability that had prevailed at the time. The college which was supposed to train State Registered Nurses therefore could not start operations and the hostel buildings were converted into nurses quarters for the regional hospital and the tutors flat given to staff of the regional health directorate, according to information gathered.
As the population of the Brong-Ahafo increased, coupled with the increasing health needs, there was the need to upgrade the then regional hospital to a state of the art hospital in 2003 which saw a soaring out patients department (OPD) attendance (clientele turnout).
This necessitated re-construction of a hostel block, administration, and staff flat accommodation that had already commenced and abandoned.
The Administrative block of the college was later given to International Hospital Group, a construction firm which built the regional hospital, to be used as offices for their operations.
However, on October 1, 2004, the college was established by government with 40 students made up of 21 males and 19 females with only two tutors. A hospital ward at the hospital was converted into a lecture hall to breath life into the College
Sprawling Infrastructure
Since then, authorities have spent millions of Ghana cedis on ultra modern campus infrastructure to push forward and facilitate serious academic work and improve practical skills.
Currently the college can boast of a well refurbished library, state of the art computer laboratory, two standard simulation rooms for midwifery and general nursing programmes, a kitchen and dining hall complex.
It also has an administration and lecture hall complex, a sports field and well trained 24 hour security posts with CCTV installations, four halls of residence for the female students and two apartments for staff.
Principal of the school says, plans are underway for the construction of male hostel facility within the college premises as well. The college can also boast of three mechanized boreholes and a horse power generator to augment water and electricity supply.
Increasing Student Population
The college has seen remarkable improvement in staff numbers; from staff strength of just six in 2004 to 30 in 2014 and 82 in 2018.
Student population which stood at only 40 (21 males and 19 females) in 2004, has so far jumped to 1,150, comprising of 300 males and 850 females.
Courses Being Offered
The first batch of 40 students sat for their licensing examination in April 2008, with eight percent (80%) pass rate.
The Health Assistant Clinical (HAC) programme, now Registered Nurse Assistant Clinical (RNAC) was also introduced in 2007, at the Municipal Hospital with a student population of 55 by the same management.
The RNAC programme has since seen tremendous enrollment and the student population now stands at 400.
"Plans to roll out Registered Midwifery programme in the college commenced in 2013, and became operational in 2015, under my administration (Mr. David Amalba Ayinne)
I assumed responsibility as the second Principal of the college in March 2014" he said
The commencement of the midwifery training was augmented by the construction of a three unit lecture hall block by the Sunyani Municipal Assembly and the programme started with a student population of 135 and now has a population of 360.
Affiliated to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), the college is a centre for upgrading of the Registered Nurse Assistant Clinical Certificate Programme to diploma in Registered General Nursing Management.
Achievement So Far Chalked
Hitherto, there were limited opportunities in producing health workers in the Bring Ahafo Region, but the college since its establishment has produced over 3000 nurses and nurse assistants who are making meaningful impact in the health of Ghanaian populace and beyond.
Currently, because of its infrastructural development and improvement in student performance, the KNUST has approved the College’s application to start degree programmes in Nursing and Midwifery.
Mr. Amalba Ayinne, the Principal of the college said management was only waiting for the Ministry of Health to give green light for degree programmes to commence but added that currently it is also collaborating with the KNUST for students to do top-up programmes and other courses.
Performance of students, he added has improved in the past three years, saying, that the College recorded 96 per cent pass rate in Registered General Nursing (RGN) and 98 per cent in Registered Nursing Assistance in the 2016/2017 academic year.
Challenges Facing The School
The major challenge currently facing the college now is un-tarred nature of access roads on campus. Other challenges include inadequate residential accommodation for staff, and tutors, as well as a lack of hostel facility for male students.
Way Forward For The School
Mr Ayinne appealed to the government, corporate bodies, philanthropists to support the college to tar its access roads, and also improve on physical infrastructure development, as the college strives to reach a fully fledged university status.
He hinted that authorities at the regional hospital were working tirelessly for the facility to be upgraded to a teaching hospital, saying if that was done, it would pave way for the college to introduce new courses in health.
"Courses such as physiotherapy, dietetics and psychiatry could be introduced for the college to serve the middle belt of the country, Mr Ayinne said"
He added that the college has virtually completed an agreement with MTN Ghana to hook the college onto 24 hour internet facility for students and tutors on grounds of enhancing teaching and learning.
The chairman of the NMTC stakeholders (Parents, Teachers Association PTA), Mr Anthony Addo, commended management and staff of the college for their selfless contribution towards the growth and development of the college.
Describing the college principal as a “pace setter” for infrastructural development, Mr Addo assured that the stakeholders would continue to render the needed support for improved infrastructure and excellent academic performance.
END
CAPTION FROM TOP TO DOWN
1. OBSERVATION LABORATORY
2. CENTRAL GATE
3. NEW ADMINISTRATION BLOCK/LECTURE THEATRE
4. DININING HALL
5.GIRLS HOSTEL
6.NANA BOSOMA ASOR NKRAWIRI OK SPORTS FIELD
7. LIBRARY BLOCK
Source: Daniel Kaku