The centralised Nursing and Midwifery Licensing Examinations have been postponed to September 4, the Ministry of Health has announced.

In an issued statement, the Ministry revealed that the decision was reached at a consultative meeting involving the Minister for Health, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), and the Conference of Heads of Health Training Institutions (COHHETI).

"It was agreed that the examinations will henceforth be conducted in the respective training institutions, as was previously the practice, to ensure smooth participation and effective supervision by the NMC," the statement noted.

The directive follows careful consideration of the risks associated with extensive travel by students to designated examination centres.

According to the Minister for Health, Honourable Mintah Akandoh, this measure is necessary to safeguard the safety and well-being of candidates while ensuring fairness and proper monitoring of the examinations.

A revised timetable and detailed guidelines will be issued by the NMC in due course, the Ministry noted.

According to the Health Ministry, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh is not in support of students travelling from one region to another to sit for examinations.

He assured all stakeholders that the Ministry will provide the necessary logistics to ensure the successful implementation of this directive.

The Ministry has thanked all candidates, training institutions, and stakeholders for their cooperation and understanding in this important exercise.

In July, the government disbursed an amount of GHS 462 million to settle training allowances owed to 120,000 nursing students nationwide.

The six-month payment is part of the government’s wider effort to assist students in Nursing Training Colleges financially.

A statement released by the Ministry of Health on Thursday, July 17, indicated that the new development aligns with President John Dramani Mahama's campaign promise in 2024.

“The Ministry views this development as a significant step in improving the welfare of nursing trainees and sustaining the motivation of future health professionals. It further aligns with ongoing efforts to strengthen the health sector by ensuring that critical human resources receive the needed support throughout their training,” parts of the statement read.

The Ministry extended its appreciation to President Mahama for facilitating the timely release and distribution of the funds.

It pledged to strengthen its collaboration with nursing schools to uphold the quality of healthcare education countrywide.

“The Ministry extends its appreciation to the president of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama for fulfilling his promise to the nurses, as well as all other stakeholders involved in facilitating the timely release and distribution of the funds.”

In 2024, President Mahama (who was then an aspirant) encouraged trainee nurses to prioritize securing stable employment over relying on allowances. He highlighted the need for sustainable job opportunities in Ghana’s healthcare sector.

Speaking to trainee nurses on Saturday, he acknowledged their financial difficulties but emphasized that long-term job security is more beneficial than temporary financial support.

He assured them that his administration would focus on job creation within the healthcare industry, ensuring stable and rewarding careers for nurses and other health professionals.

“We know the problems with trainee nurses and that is why when we were in government, we said we were going to substitute your allowance with the students’ loan because we wanted to create more employment for you. What is important for you is not the allowance it is to get a job when you finish school,” he stated.

Adding that “But somebody came and said he will pay the allowances. Unfortunately, it was 419…Come and pay the nurses you owe them almost 30 months of arrears. Some of them have left school without receiving their allowances and some of them are going to leave school again without receiving their allowances.

“…I make you a commitment when I come to the hospitals, we were building that have been abandoned by this government we will continue them.

"When I come to the agenda 111 hospitals, they are building I will continue and finish them so that we can create more space to be able to absorb all of you when you finish school. This election is between Ghana and NPP.”

In May this year, the Ministry of Health unveiled a newly enhanced mobile application designed to streamline the purchase and application process for prospective students seeking admission into Health Training Institutions across Ghana.

This initiative is part of ongoing efforts to improve accessibility, convenience, and transparency in the admissions process.

As part of the deployment, the sale of admission forms, originally scheduled to begin on April 22,was rescheduled to May 5.

The forms were available for purchase until June 5, 2025. The mobile app will allow applicants to purchase their forms digitally, eliminating the need for long-distance travel, reducing the cost, and improving the overall efficiency of the process.

In a related development, the Ministry of Health also announced a reduction in the cost of application forms for the 2025/2026 academic year.

The application fee, which was previously set at GHC200, will now be reduced to GHC150. According to the Ministry, “this reduction is intended to enhance access and affordability for applicants across the country.”

It has also been noted that only GCB Bank PLC and Agriculture Development Banks are authorized to sell the application forms. The official academic year for 2025/2026 will begin on April 22, 2025, and end on June 19, 2025.

The Ministry appreciates the cooperation of all involved as it works towards a more efficient and user-friendly admissions system for prospective students.