Admission into Nursing Training Colleges Is Strictly Merit-Based – Ministry of Health
The Ministry of Health (MoH) has reaffirmed that admissions into Nursing and Midwifery Training Colleges across Ghana will continue to be conducted strictly on merit, emphasizing that the selection process is guided by transparency, fairness, and established admission guidelines.
The assurance was given by the Deputy Minister for Health, Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah, during the 2026 Annual Health Training Institutions Conference held in Kumasi. She stressed that the quality of Ghana's healthcare system depends largely on admitting the most qualified applicants into health training institutions.
Admissions to Remain Transparent and Fair
Addressing participants at the conference, Dr. Ayensu-Danquah said the Ministry is committed to ensuring that every qualified applicant is assessed fairly and selected solely on merit.
According to her, admissions into nursing and other health training institutions must remain transparent, objective, consistent, and responsive to Ghana's healthcare workforce needs.
She urged admissions committees and institutional heads to apply the approved admission guidelines uniformly to safeguard the credibility of the country's health training system and maintain public confidence.
Government Introduces Reforms in Health Training
The Deputy Minister highlighted several reforms being implemented by the Ministry of Health to strengthen health professional education.
These include:
- Prompt payment of trainee allowances.
- Fully funded PhD scholarships for 30 health tutors.
- Creation of the Chief Health Tutor position.
- Introduction of specialist nursing programmes.
- Reduction in the cost of nursing admission forms.
- Bachelor of Science programmes in 14 nursing training colleges.
- Enhanced human resource management systems across health training institutions.
Uniform Admission Guidelines
Dr. Ayensu-Danquah stressed that all health training institutions are expected to implement the Ministry's admission guidelines consistently.
She noted that strict adherence to the approved procedures will help ensure equal opportunities for applicants while preserving the integrity of the admission process.
The Deputy Minister also commended regulatory bodies, mentoring universities, development partners, and admissions committees for their continued support in maintaining high standards in health professional education.
Specialist Nursing Programmes Expanded
Also speaking at the conference, Director of Human Resource for Health Development at the Ministry of Health, Fred Mensah Achampong, announced the expansion of post-basic specialist nursing programmes.
The new programmes include:
- Critical Care Nursing
- Emergency Nursing
- Cardiology Nursing
- Endocrinology Nursing
- Nephrology Nursing
- Oncology Nursing
According to him, more than 500 students have already been admitted into the pioneer institutions, with the Ministry targeting at least 1,000 admissions annually over the next three years to strengthen Ghana's specialist healthcare workforce.
Ministry Reiterates Commitment
The Ministry of Health says it remains committed to building a competent health workforce through a transparent, accountable, and merit-based admissions system.
Prospective applicants have therefore been advised to rely only on official admission procedures and avoid individuals who claim they can secure admission through unofficial means.
The Ministry maintains that only applicants who satisfy the prescribed entry requirements and perform successfully under the approved selection process will be offered admission into Ghana's Nursing and Midwifery Training Colleges.