The Principal of Margret Marquart Catholic Nursing School at Kpando in the Volta region, Francisca Nana Arthur has appealed to the government for more infrastructure to improve teaching and learning in the school.
Due to the deficit, she said the school currently runs a shift system.
Ms. Francisca Nana Arthur disclosed this while speaking in an interview with Adom News correspondent Odehyeba Owusu at the school’s 1st graduation and 4th Matriculation ceremonies.
According to Ms. Francisca Nana Arthur, as the college enrolled its 2nd and 3rd batch of students, these facilities became woefully inadequate.
“The only option management had was to run a shift system so that we could conveniently deal with the numbers, or else we had to reduce our intake, and your guess is as good as mine if we have to reduce our intake. Currently, we have third-year students on vacation and are on the wards, with the first and second years on campus. Even with this system, we still have to run morning and afternoon shifts so that we can have enough contact hours with every student. Sometimes, you look into the faces of staff, and you easily tell that fatigue is setting in,” she said.
Aside the inadequate lecture rooms/halls for effective teaching and learning, the Principal said needs more hostel facilities to accommodate students.
“As I mentioned earlier, the ones on campus can accommodate only 96 students, and the rest we had to private accommodation in town to rent as hostels, sometimes, getting these facilities is another story with the charges being demanded.
“The college is in dying need of a central administration block for the provision of offices for our dedicated staff. Well-equipped library and computer laboratory to enhance teaching and learning and the acquisition of knowledge for both staff and students. Well-equipped skill laboratory/demonstration room for hands-on practice of the various nursing skills that students are expected to acquire during training. An official vehicle for the college to ensure the smooth running of college activities.”
“In most cases the college relies on the hospital for a vehicle for official duties and where the vehicles are not available, the only option is to join public transport to transact business on behalf of the college. On most occasions, the hustle one has to go through and the timing is not a pleasant experience, ” the Principal added.
She also appealed for a school bus to enable the students travel for their clinicals.
Ms. Francisca Nana Arthur echoed the impact of the lack of students’ hostel on academic work, saying “90 percent of our students stay out of campus, you can imagine the implications and how stressful it is.
“All these aforementioned challenges, including others, are major requirements for our aim of training and producing qualified health professionals to render quality healthcare services to the people of Ghana are to be fully met both now and in the future” the Principal said.
She congratulates the new students and urged them to abide by the rules and regulations of the school.
“Today, by taking the matriculation oath, you have acquired the studentship status of the college, you have now become students in status popularis, that is bonafide junior members of this college and are therefore entitled to all the rights and privileges that students of this college are enjoying. You have pledged by this oath to abide by the rules and regulations of the Margret Marquart Catholic Nursing Training College, Kpando, as well as appreciate and cherish its objectives and goals”x.
Some of the new students who spoke in an interview with Adom News appealed to government to provide the school with the needed infrastructure to improve teaching and learning.
