The Tanoso College of Nursing and Midwifery in the Tano North Municipality of the Ahafo Region at the weekend, held its 20th matriculation with the admission of 576 fresh students to pursue various health programmes. The freshers, according to Mrs Gertrude Nancy Anan-Aidoo, the Principal of the College, were among the 1,288 applicants who expressed their interest and sought admission at the college. In a breakdown, Mrs Anan-Aidoo said 148 new students were selected to pursue Nurse Assistant Preventive, 106 for Public Health Nursing, 159 for Registered General Nursing, 133 for Registered Midwifery, and 30 freshers for Post NAP/NAC Midwifery. Speaking at the 20th matriculation ceremony held at Tanoso, which coincided with the launch of the 20th anniversary celebration of the establishment of the college, the Principal said the new admission remained the highest intake in the history of the college. Mrs Aidoo said the college could boast of a serene and conducive environment for studies, highly qualified tu tors, and dedicated non-teaching staff, however, it was bedeviled with numerous challenges, including inadequate lecture halls for the ever-growing student's population and hostel facilities. Again, the college needs an administration block, staff bungalows on campus, auditorium and vehicles, saying the 15-year-old school bus and the mini-bus could only take 30 and 15 students respectively. 'The college also has 19-year-old pick up which does not function well, and thereby causing the college a huge financial loss. The college also lacks a field for sporting activities,' she stated. Dr Freda Prempeh, the Member of Parliament for Tano North constituency and Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, who donated GHC10,000.00 in support of the anniversary celebration, pledged to ensure the immediate needs of the college were tackled. She commended the management, tutors and the entire staff of the college for their hard work and expressed the optimism that with the level of development going on, the college would be upgraded to a university status. Dr Prempeh advised the fresh students to endeavour to learn their books and avoid unhealthy lifestyles that could truncate their education and ruin their future. Nursing, the MP noted, was a divine call, and entreated the students to remain disciplined, respect authority and abide by the college's code of conduct to enjoy their stay on campus. Source: Ghana News Agency