The University Hospital has been designated as one of the centres for the 2017 Practical Licensure Exams by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). By this approval, the UCC Hospital has received hundreds of final-year training nurses and midwives posted by the Council to use the University Hospital as part of their Practical Licensure Exams, which will herald the theoretical exams in August. Candidates, who read academic programmes in Registered General Nursing, Registered Midwifery, Registered Critical Nurse and also Registered Mental Health Nurse, are expected to sit for the exams, spanning from July to August. In an interview, the Nurse Manager of the Hospital, Mr. Thomas Tamag, said last year (2016), a team from the NMC visited the Directorate to inspect and assess at first-hand the facilities of the Directorate and the feasibility of using the facility as an exams centre.According to him, the team expressed satisfaction with the high-powered equipment at the hospital and subsequently recommended the Hospital to the NMC for consideration. Consequently, he said the Council posted final-year Degree nurses of the University to the Directorate to undertake their 2016 Practical Licensure Exams, after meeting the Council’s requirements. Mr. Tamag indicated that the upcoming exams are in three phases, with both the first and second batches of diploma nurses starting theirs on July 10-15 and July 17-21 respectively, whilst the Degree nurses will sit for the exams on July 31 to mid-August. He advised candidates to abide by the rules and regulations governing the conduct of the exams and eschew all forms of examination malpractice.Mr. Tamag entreated staff and Unit Heads of the Directorate to co-operate with the candidates and examiners to make the exercise a success. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the regulatory body that monitors, enlists and regulates the activities of nurses and midwives in Ghana. The body is also responsible for the examination of student nurses and midwives for the award of their professional licensing.  

An Assistant Principal at a Montgomery County Public Schools, USA, Dr. Faustina Quist, has called on Ghanaians to intensify awareness on special education in Ghana. "Special education has come to stay. But the awareness is not there. We can start from somewhere. It is a process,” she noted. Dr. Quist noted that in the USA, stakeholders put a premium on the thirteen disabilities areas identified under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The Act, according to Dr. Quist, ensured that services were provided to children with disabilities, from aged zero to thirty-one. However, in Ghana, she expressed disquiet that much attention was being given to autism, deaf and dumb to the detriment of other disabilities. Dr. Quist made the observations when she delivered a paper on “Enhancing the Field of Special Education” at a day’s sensitisation seminar organised by the Department of Special Education under Faculty of Educational Foundations. She said children with special needs could be productive in every sector of the economy when they are given the requisite skills. she, therefore, advised parents who have children with disabilities not to abandon them to beg for alms. Dr. Quist explained to participants the systematic instructional methods of teaching kids with special needs in the classroom. She said the method of instruction for children with special needs was different from that of "normal" students adding, “if you have a child suffering from autism and you are like I need you to put this pencil here, I need you to sit down, etc. what you have to know is that the autistic child needs to process and organise what you said to him in his brain for a few seconds.” She urged special education institutions to take advantage of technology to teach students with disabilities, to facilitate learning. Dr. Quist called on authorities at Special Needs Centers to involve parents, regarding their wards education. The Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Eric Nyarko Simpson, in a brief remark, commended Dr. Quist for the lecture and added that the Department's doors were open for both local and international collaboration.  

The Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Prof. George K. T. Oduro has underscored the University’s commitment to coexist peacefully with communities surrounding University of Cape Coast, UCC. Prof. Oduro said the communities provide accommodation for both staff and students of the University, adding “whatever affects the communities has consequences on the University”. The Pro-Vice-Chancellor made these statements when he granted audience to elders of Apewosika Community. He assured the elders that management of the University would always open its doors for them and urged them to advise the youth of the community not to rush to the media on issues concerning the University. He made reference to a recent news report on one of the television networks where some youth of Apewosika accused the University for the leakage of liquid waste from a cesspit tank behind Atlantic Hall to the houses of some residents. Explaining further on the issue of the cesspit tank, Prof. Oduro said the University has procured materials to fix the cesspit tank and also construct drains at the affected areas. He added that staff of the Directorate of Physical Development Estate Management will soon begin work on the project to bring relief to people living close to Atlantic Hall. Speaking on behalf of the elders, Nana Nkwantabisa thanked Prof. Oduro for granting them opportunity to interact with the University delegation. He said the University had now become part and parcel of the Apewosika community, stressing that “some of our people are staff of the University and even our children are also studying here whilst those who are traders earn their source of income from students of the University”. He asked management of the University to forgive a section of the youth of Apewosika who recently demonstrated against the University. He noted that the elders had advised the youth of the community to channel their grievances on any issue through them. Some of the concerns raised by the elders at the meeting were payment of compensation, allocation of land for Apewosika Community Centre, scholarship for indigenes and diversion of drainage system. The elders were entreated to put their concerns into writing and also attach relevant documents where necessary. Present at the meeting were the Director of Academic Affairs, Mr. Jeff Onyame, Director of Legal Consular and General Services, Director of Physical Development Estate Management, Mr. Philip Ntim. The other elders from Apewosika Community were Mr. Solomon Evans, Ebusuapanyin Kweku Essoun and Mr. Francis Nyame.

A call has been made to improve the teaching of Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) in educational institutions to ensure increased awareness of reproductive health among adolescents. This has become necessary because, the provision of accurate and comprehensive SRH education is necessary to ensure healthy sexual and reproductive lives for adolescents. The call was made at workshop to disseminate research findings on “Sexuality Education in Ghana: New Evidence from Three Regions” a study conducted by some faculty from the Department of Population and Health, UCC and researchers from Guttmacher Institute. The UCC faculty who participated in the study were Prof. Kofi Awusabo-Asare, Dr. David Teye Doku, Prof. Akwasi Kumi-Kyereme, Mr. Kobina Esia-Donkoh and Dr. Joshua Amo-Adjei whilst the researchers from Guttmacher Institute were Melissa Stillman, Sarach Keogh, Ellie Leong and Akinrinola Bankole. The study was sponsored by the Guttmacher Institute with grants from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency. Making a presentation on the research report, the lead researcher, Prof. Awusabo-Asare said the study was conducted in the Greater Accra, Brong Ahafo and Northern regions in 2015. He said few students reported learning about all topics related to contraception, gender and SRH rights, and interpersonal skills. He indicated that teachers believed that adolescents should be taught some issues relating to healthy sexuality. However, he noted that some messages conveyed to the students were reportedly fear-inducing and judgmental, emphasising that “sex is depicted to be dangerous and immoral for young people.” Touching on the recommendations of the study, Prof. Awusabo-Asare said there was the need to strengthen efforts to demystify and desensationalise sexuality among adolescents. The lead researcher called for continuous sensitisation of the community, teachers and school heads, in the provision of SRH education and related skills to adolescents. He also said there should be priority on comprehensive and rights-based focus to SRH education at the primary and junior high school levels to ensure that students receive essential age-appropriate information and skills prior to initiating sexual activity. Prof. Awusabo-Asare said the report also called for the introduction of wide range of topics in the core subjects of senior high schools, and investment in teaching and learning materials and other resources to promote SRH education for the healthy development of adolescents. Also, he said teachers should be adequately prepared to deliver accurate, appropriate and effective information to their students. He further emphasised the need for active engagement with key stakeholders including community opinion leaders and school boards regarding the current evidence relating to SRH education in order to improve support for teaching a broad range of topics that go beyond abstinence. The programme brought together some stakeholders like queen mothers, health workers, educationists, teachers and journalists. Stakeholders at the workshop called for a comprehensive policy that will prioritise the teaching of sexual and reproductive health education in schools. The workshop was chaired by the Provost of the College of Humanities and Legal Studies, Prof. Dora Edu-Buandoh.