Principals at Nursing Training Colleges in the Upper West Region have expressed worry about the activities of protocol admission contractors.

Speaking on behalf of colleague principals at a regional matriculation of 1,044 students in Wa, the Principal of the Wa Nursing Training College, George Segnitome revealed that protocol admission contractors allegedly take money from prospective applicants, parade the corridors of influential people and turn to stampede the principals with phone calls in a desperate bid to have people admitted.

This he said is objectionable and criminal and called for the vigilance of all to bring the perpetrators to book. 

‘‘We wish to remain resolute, firm and fair to generate the would-be nurse and midwives using merit criteria associated with the interviews.

Life is at stake here. Should we relent in doing what is right, we all individually and collectively, will pay a heavy price for dabbling in mediocrity,’’ he added

Out of total of 4,484 applicants interviewed by the seven Health Training Institutions in the region, they could only admit 1,044 students representing 23 per cent.

The institutions attributed their inability to offer admissions to a significant proportion of the applicants to infrastructure and staff constraints.

Mr. Segnitome warned that management of the schools will be compelled to cut down the intake of students for the 2015/2016 academic year if the infrastructural situation does not improve.

He also used the opportunity to appeal to the government to reconsider its decision on the students’ monthly allowances, positing that the students provide clinical services whilst training in an environment that is very challenging.

‘‘Society should take a relook at the fate these youngsters. They should be supported in a way to boost their resistance to diseases. In our view it is possible to calculate the period of clinical practice in the health facility and tag that to our stipends,’’ he argued. 

 This is the first time matriculants from all seven nursing training institutions have been brought together to do a regional matriculation which organizers say it is to cut down cost associated with funding matriculation ceremonies.