The Union of Trainee Nurses and Midwives Ghana (UTNMG) has welcomed government’s decision to absorb 50% of tuition fees for trainee nurses in the 2025/2026 academic year but is demanding further clarity and broader support for students across the country.
In a statement, the union described the intervention as commendable but questioned the lack of transparency on the total tuition fee structure and how much students are now expected to pay under the new arrangement.
“We wish to know the total tuition fee amount before the 50% absorption and the agreed fee structure between government and principals of training institutions, to enable students and parents to plan appropriately,” the statement read.
UTNMG also called on government to clarify whether continuing students in levels 200 and 300 would benefit from the policy, stressing that equity required such relief measures to be extended fairly to all trainee nurses.
Beyond tuition, the union raised concerns over feeding fees, which currently stand at GHS 1,800 per semester. It urged government to absorb part of this cost to ease the financial burden on parents and guardians.
The statement further pressed government to grant financial clearance for the 2020 referral batch in the upcoming 2026 budget reading, noting that the group had “waited far too long for clarity on their placement.”
On the ongoing debate over the possible cancellation of the Nurse Assistant Preventive (NAP) and Nurse Assistant Clinical (NAC) programs, the union demanded that government publicly state its official position, arguing that the issue carried serious implications for students and the profession.
UTNMG also reminded authorities of allowance arrears owed to the 2024 batch of trainees currently undertaking national service, urging prompt payment.
Expressing frustration over the lack of dialogue, the union revealed that repeated attempts to engage the Ministry of Health had been unsuccessful.
“We therefore use this statement to renew our call on the Ministry and all relevant authorities to engage with us in good faith for the collective interest of trainee nurses and midwives across the country,” it added.
Source: Jagri Boaz Binyinjom
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