The Ministry of Health (MoH) has warned authorities at Nursing and Midwifery Training Colleges across the country against charging exorbitant and unapproved fees following the suspension of three heads over alleged extortion.

Addressing a news conference in Accra on Wednesday August 31, sector Minister Alex Segbefia described the trend as unacceptable, and advised other institutions to desist from such acts or face punitive actions.

Mr Segbefia told the media: “We take this opportunity to reiterate our position regarding school fees. Heads and school management should take note and observe the following: The approved fees from the Ministry of Health as agreed with the Conference of Heads of Health Training Institutions…for the 2016/17 academic year is GHS1, 400. ... However, only schools that opted for the cafeteria services can charge an additional GHS600 for feeding as agreed by the Conference of Heads of Health Training Institutions.”

“Traditional items such as feeding fees, books, accommodation, uniform, sports kits, etc., should be considered as optional and should not be made compulsory for students. Where there is the need to charge additional fees for those items indicated above, approval should be sought from the Heath Training Institutions Secretariat of the Ministry of Health before students are levied. It is the hope of the Ministry that all institutions would adhere to the directives above to ensure coherence and uniformity in the fees charged by the health training institutions.”