A nursing student who was removed from an examination hall because she is pregnant may be given a second opportunity to take the exam.

The Registrar of the Nursing and Midwifery Council announced this on Joy FM's Super Morning Show following public outrage generated by the story.

JoyNews reported Wednesday, May 10, 2017, that the Principal of the Gushiegu Nursing School, Winnefred Wondong, prevented a final year student, Cecilia Awuni from continuing with the rest of the licencing examination because she was found to be four months pregnant.

Cecilia had taken three of her six papers and was in the exams centre for the fourth paper when she was asked to leave. She would have finished her papers on Friday, May 12.

The Registrar, Felix Nyanteh, hinted he was going to hold a meeting with his management over the issue and subsequently instruct the Principal to make arrangements for the candidate to write a supplementary paper. 

“That one we will instruct the principal to do that,” he noted.

Contradictions

Two senior officials of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMTC) contradicted each other over the propriety of the decision of the Principal of the Gushegu Nursing Training College to prevent Cecelia from taking her final examination because she was pregnant.

In his attempt to defend the action of the Principal on the Super Morning Show, Head of Public Relations at the NMC, Nana Boateng Agyemang said the student was not removed from the examination hall but “was advised to go home and have a safe delivery and come back to continue her education”. 

“When they [students] were admitted they were given students’ handbook which says that 'you are supposed to complete the three-year programme without issue of pregnancy," he told Joy FM's Super Morning Show.

While conceding that “there is no law that bars candidates from writing an examination," he said, "it is also prudent that when we find a candidate in such a situation we offer advice”. 

“We are interested in the health of the mother and the unborn child,” he maintained.

Contrasting viewpoint

But minutes after the submission of the PRO, Registrar of the Council, Felix Nyanteh called into the discussion and condemned the action of the Principal.

“We do not have any statutes that bar students from writing exams when they are pregnant. This is something that the Council doesn’t take kindly to...Pregnancy is not a criminal offence,” Mr. Nyanteh stressed.

When the host of the Super Morning Show, Kojo Yankson drew the attention of the Registrar to the fact that his position contradicted that which was earlier canvassed by his PRO ,Mr. Nyanteh retorted: “I am the Head of the agency, I am the Registrar and the Chief Executive Officer so take what I am saying as the final word”.

Listen to the NMTC PRO:

Listen to the NMTC Registrar: