Confusion Rocks Tarkwa Midwifery School

By Alfred Adams

Final year students of the Tarkwa Midwifery Training College (TMTC) in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality of the Western Region, together with their parents, are seething with rage over a decision by the school to let final year students stay for another semester before writing their Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwifery Council Examination (GRNMCE).

Information available to The Chronicle indicates that the College arrived at the decision, because 15 out of the total number of the final year students failed to get the required grade to enable them join their colleagues to write the GRNMCE.

Consequently, the management of the school took the decision not to register the final year students, even though they had the pass mark, which qualified them to write the GRNMCE in February next year.

What it means is that the final year students who passed would have to spend another semester in school, paying fees just as their colleagues who couldn't get the pass mark.

This is the reason why both the final year students and their parents are seething with rage over the issue, because they felt they were not consulted over the issue.

The wrath of the parents, particularly stems from the fact that they have to pay the full fees of GH?1,850 for their wards to spend another semester in school.

The information continued that the Principal of the School, Ms. Netta Ackon-Forson, held a meeting with the students, and reportedly told them that she had decided not to register them to enable them sit for the GRNMCE this August, because, 15 of them couldn't pass.

Consequently, those who made the grade would have to spend another semester in school ahead of the GRNMCE in February, next year.

By that time, the Principal reportedly told the students, their colleagues who could not make the grade would have made it, so that together they would all sit for the exams.

The Principal, however, promised to consult the parents of the students before taking the decision, the paper gathered.

Interestingly, some of the aggrieved students who kicked against the decision told The Chronicle that the decision by the school was unjustifiable and could not stand, because, they could not be sacrificed for their colleagues who could not made the grade.

The angry students said after completing their course registration, end of semester exams and practicals, they were hopeful they were going to sit for the GRNMCE in August, only for the school to break the bad news to them.

One of the affected students, for instance, told this reporter: "We don't know whether we are coming into the school again as students or what."

This is, because, they were done with their course outline, and, therefore, going back to school to spend another semester was their headache.

"We don't know whether we are going to repeat the courses we have finished studying or what," another worried student told this reporter in a separate interview.

These lingering questions, according to the aggrieved students, have not been explained to them, so they were at a loss as to what they were going to do in school again, after three years of study.

One parent, who spoke to this paper on condition of anonymity, said he could not understand why he has to cough the sum of GH?1,850 to pay fees for his ward, when he knew she had completed school.

"I could not believe my ears when she told me why they had to stay in school for another semester," the poor parent explained.

Several attempts to speak to the Principal of the school proved futile.

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