The Ministry of Health (MOH) has decided to use this year as a transition period to allow candidates with passes in English, Maths and Science to go through an entrance examination for selection into the health training institutions, a release issued in Accra on Friday said.

It indicated that the new entry requirement of credit in English, Maths and Science for entry into Certificate programmes in any of the health training institutions would however be in full operation from the 2013/2014 academic year.

The release signed by Mr. Christopher Beyere, Head, Pre-Service Training Unit, MOH, explained that contrary to the earlier decision to implement the new entry requirement of credit in the three subjects within the 2012/2013 academic year, it had come to the realization that the prompt implementation of that policy was without adequate prior notice.

The statement said candidates who had already purchased forms for certificate programmes into health training institutes for 2012/13 academic year in Community Health Nursing, Health Assistants, Medical Records and Physiotherapy Assistants but did not meet the 2012/13 new entry requirement of credits in English, Maths and Science were to check at the various centres for their names, exams centres and date of exams /interviews on the 3rd of August, 2012.

It said prospective applicants who had previously not purchased application forms but had passes in English, Maths and Science and passes in any other three electives were encouraged to purchase admission forms from any of the health training institutions from 26th July to 1st August 2012.

It therefore announced various venues for the entrance examination for this year as the Korle-Bu Nursing Training College (NTC) of the Greater Accra Region of which the Pantang Health Assistance Trianing School (HATS) and Teshie HATS fall under, the Komfo Anokye NTC for the Ashanti Region which has Fomena, Kokofu, Mampong, and Tepa HATS, and Central Regional centres at the Cape Coast NTC which has Winneba Community Health Nursing Training School (CHNTS), Dunkwa on Offin and Twifo Praso HATS.

The Eastern Regional Centres include the Koforidua NTC which also has Akim Oda CHNTS, Western Region which has Sekondi NTC and Essiama CHNTS, Asankragua, Asanta, and Sefwi Wiaso HATS

Other centres are the Tamale NTC, the Bolga NTC, Jirapa NTC, Suyani NTC, and the Ho NTC.

The statement said examination fee was GH¢20 and interview fee is also GH¢ 20.

It said the Ministry of Health was committed in its quest to ensure the attainment of its vision of creating a health population for national development and to provide quality education for the health force across the country.**