By Godfred A. Polkuu
Bolgatanga, May 9, GNA – Students of the Midwifery Training College (MTC) in Bolgatanga, Upper East Region, have appealed to the government to reduce their school fees for increased access to quality education.
The students, through their Ghana Nurses and Midwives Trainees Association/Students Representative Council (GNMTA/SRC) President, Ms. Beatrice Agoniwen Apirigabe, said the current fees of GH¢3,955.00 was high, and that some parents could not afford to pay it.
“We are appealing to the government to reduce the school fees for us, so that the less privileged can also afford quality education,” Ms. Apirigabe said in a sideline interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at the launch of the GNMTA/SRC week celebration.
The weeklong celebration themed: “Enhancing the Health of Mothers, Babies and the Family Through Compassionate Care,” had line-up activities including culture display, debate, dinner night, thanksgiving service among others.
Ms. Apirigabe said it was their expectation that as they progressed from level 100 to 300, there would be some reduction in the fees to about GH¢2,000.00 or less.
“We understand that for the first year, first semester, the school fees are high because of the items we need to purchase, but then, as we move to the next semester, there is not much to purchase, yet the fees keep increasing,” she said.
The GNMTA/SRC President noted that the College had insufficient hostels and lecture halls and further appealed to government for support.
She indicated that the limited hostel facilities on campus compelled some students to rent rooms outside the campus at exorbitant prices, while they commuted to campus on daily basis for lectures.
“This is not convenient for us, so we are appealing to the government to construct hostels to accommodate all of us on campus,” the student leader said.
Touching on their allowance, Ms. Apirigabe said: “We have a lot of issues with students’ allowance. Every month, we complain that we need our allowance. Last month, we were promised that we will be given our allowance, and we were really hoping to receive it, but nothing came.”
She stressed the need for regular payment of the allowance to enable them to buy their basic needs and educational materials to enhance their studies.
Ms. Apirigabe commended the management and tutors of the College for their dedication and continuous quest to churn out highly skilled professional midwives to boost maternal, reproductive and child healthcare delivery in the country despite the challenges.
She admonished her colleague students to be of good behavior and respect school authority, “Let us put up best behaviours, and as we train to be midwives, it is important to exhibit the qualities of the profession wherever we find ourselves, she said.
Ms. Agnes Azong, the Library Prefect of the College, emphasised the need for regular medical screening among members of the public.
“As students, we have observed that some people do not undergo regular medical check-ups, and that is not good,” she said.
She admonished women especially, to regularly undergo breast and cervical cancer screening, because “health is wealth”.
Some students in random interviews also with the GNA on the GNMTA/SRC week celebration, expressed concern about the high school fees and reiterated their President’s appeal to government for reduction, “It is one of our major concerns,” a group of second year students said.
GNA
FAA/BM