The National Union of Ghana Students’ (NUGS) has decried the seeming neglect of medical training institutions in the country. It said since the health of every nation is its wealth it was necessary that medical training institutions in the country be well equipped to discharge the onerous task of properly training people to save lives. The Union said the sorry state of the medical school of the University for Development Studies is particularly worrying. These were contained in a statement signed by the NUGS President Mr. Kweku Tuoho Bombason and the Press and Information Secretary of the Union, Mr. Sebastian Damoah. The statement was in issued connection with the National Students’ Day which falls on May 15 every. According to the statement the UDS medical school was not accredited to enable it train the much medical staff such as doctors and nurses in the country. “The medical schools of the university of Ghana, Legon and Kwame Nkrumah university of science and technology which used to continue the training of UDS students at some stage of their studies have all refused to accept them to continue their clinical training” the statement lamented. NUGS recognize the challenges that students are faced with in the country, these includes; the ever increasing cost of education particularly tertiary education and the difficulty students go through in finding hostel accommodation on their campuses to settle for effective learning because of the lack of corresponding increase in students numbers with that of infrastructure on campus. It said the situation was dire and need urgent government attention as well as the national accreditation board to solve the problem and spare medical students of the university the current ordeal and also to allow for more students to be admitted for the 2008/2009 academic year. Attached is the full statement issued by NUGS. 14th May, 2008 PRESS STATEMENT TO MARK NATIONAL STUDENTS’ DAY – May 15th The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) wishes to salute Ghanaian Students on the occasion of national Students day which falls on the 15th of May every year and also coincides with international students’ day. NUGS recognizes the challenges that students are faced with in the country such as the ever increasing cost of education particularly tertiary education and the difficulties students go through in finding hostel accommodation on their campuses to settle in for effective learning because of the lack of corresponding increase in student numbers with that of infrastructure on campus. The Union would want to use the day to draw the attention of government and policy makers to health education in the country. This is an area that turns out doctors, nurses and other paramedics who render essential health services to Ghanaians. However, this aspect of education has its own problems; the increasing numbers of fee paying students(international students) in our medical schools across the country and the difficulties that the university for development studies (UDS) medical school is facing in getting accreditation in order to function as a fully-fledged medical school against the back drop of the fact that the medical schools of the university of Ghana, Legon and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology which used to continue the training of UDS students at some stage of their studies have all refused to accept them to continue their clinical training. This is not only worrying but also suggest the need for urgent attention on the part of government and the national accreditation board to solve this problem and not keep students in limbo and also allow the school to admit new medical students for the 2008/2009 academic year. Indeed the significance of starting a new educational reform can not be glossed over. However, half way through the first academic year of the implementation, some schools are yet to be supplied with the necessary syllabus and text books for learning. Sad to mention is the failure of the Education Ministry to build the capacity of teachers on new aspects of the reforms to enable them carry on with the smooth implementation. It is also important to draw the attention of government to the need for a concerted effort to ensure industrial peace in the educational front if the implementation of the new reforms is to be successful, as such the daily threats of strike by workers in the educational sector must be address. Also, NUGS is appealing to government to find a lasting solution to the delays, in releasing feeding grants to senior high schools in the three Northern Regions as it do not only affect the performance of students but parents and the school administrators as well. Kweku Tuoho Bombason David Sabestian Damoah (NUGS President) (Press & Information Secretary) 0242773027 0244818991