The University of Cape Coast has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ministry of Health to mentor all Specialised Nursing Training Schools in the country.

Hitherto, the specialised training schools awarded Advanced Diploma certificates to the Ministry of Health Nurses who specialised in specific fields in the nursing profession. With the current arrangement, UCC will now award bachelor degree certificates to students of these specialised training schools.

As part of preparations to award degrees to these training institutions, a team of assessors from UCC has embarked on an institutional visit to each of the training schools to assist them to put the necessary structures in place.

The institutions visited were, Ear, Nose and Throat Nursing School, Kumasi, School of Anaesthesia, Kumasi, Ophthalmic Nursing School, Public Health Nurses’ School and School of Peri-Operative and Critical Care Nursing, all located at Korle Bu in Accra.

Addressing the various principals and management of these institutions at separate meetings, the leader of the UCC Team of Assessors, Mr. Clement Entsuah-Mensah expressed the commitment of the University to mentor the specialised institutions to ensure that they produce high calibre manpower for the health sector of the country and beyond. He noted that UCC would work together with each of the Training Schools to meet the standards set by the National Accreditation Board, National Council for Tertiary Education and the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

Mr. Entsuah-Mensah who is also the Librarian of UCC stressed that “UCC stands for quality and therefore we expect that this reflects in all aspects of the training of specialised nurses in each of the institutions”. He further indicated that the University would continue to work with them adding that “We look forward to a time when each of the specialised Training Schools will mature and award its degrees”.

The Head of the Institutional Affiliation Office, Mr. Justice Agyenim Boateng indicated that as a prerequisite for the award of degree by the University and the other regulatory bodies, there was the need for them to put together an approved curriculum, setting up state-of-the-art laboratories, good and disability friendly infrastructure with decent lecture rooms or halls, offices for lecturers and accommodation for students.

The team of assessors later inspected facilities of the various Trainings Schools and offered them the needed advice. The assessors included Mr. Alexander Afrifa Darteh, Mrs. Christiana Okantey, Mrs. Patience Doe, and Mrs. Nancy Ebu Enyan.

Other members of the team were Mr. Peter Fosu Thompson and Mr. Alex Allotey.