The Principal of the Nursing Training College (NTC), Bolgatanga, William Sebil says most of the 800 Senior High School (SHS) applicants with excellent grades are unable to defend their results before the College’s admission interview panel. 

“Crippling worrying trends that are emerging and seen to be very disturbing among the applicants is that, when they face the interview panel, they simply cannot express themselves. Some come with grade ‘A’ in all eight subjects but cannot defend the grade,” he said. 

The Principal recalled that an applicant faced the panel and said, “For me, I was taught by my teacher in the examination hall. These types of applicants unfortunately are usually caught by the rigorous internal examination tools used by the College.” 

Mr Sebil said this at a matriculation ceremony for fresh students of the College in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Regional capital. 

He said when such students were demoted or dismissed, members of the public should bear with management of the College and not conclude that the examination board or management of the College were wicked or bad. 

Mr Sebil said the College was noted for churning out intelligent, professional and properly trained nurses spread all over Ghana and outside the country, insisting that management would not in anyway compromise on its standards. 

He encouraged trainees of the College to inculcate in themselves a sense of purpose, saying, “I urge you to find your purpose. Choosing your preferred choice of becoming a nurse is the first step in the right direction. 

“Now comes the real work as we have in the nurses pledge; ‘My personal life shall all time bring credit to my profession.’ Set your sight on a noble cause from now and work tirelessly to achieve it,” Mr Sebil said. 

He further admonished them to step out of their comfort zones, explore and learn new skills, make new friends and be deliberate about their personal growth. 

The Principal urged them to make conscious efforts to apply themselves to learning; not just to pass their examinations but attain skills that would help them in the future. 

He said there was the tendency for some students to be carried away by the freedom they enjoyed, and cautioned them that “The freedom you now have, means that you must take decisions on your own and act maturely because you will be held individually responsible for all your actions and omissions.” 

He commended both teaching and non-teaching staff of the College for their sacrifices over the years despite all the infrastructural challenges, which had culminated in the upliftment of the enviable academic performances of the College. 

The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Stephen Yakubu, in a speech read on his behalf, acknowledged the sacrifices of the tutors and members of the Advisory Board of Governors of the College over the years. 

He said their sacrifices were reflected in the milestone achieved by the College over the years, “When the name of the College is mentioned now and in the future, your names shall remain perpetually imprinted.”