Fire outbreak worsens accommodation crisis at Zuarungu NTC, students call for help
Despite long-standing challenges such as inadequate classroom space and limited boarding facilities, the college remains one of five nursing training institutions in the Upper East Region producing qualified healthcare professionals annually.
A recent fire outbreak at the Zuarungu Health Nursing Training College in the Bolgatanga East District has dealt a severe blow to teaching and learning activities, particularly affecting first-year students.
The blaze, which tore through the girls’ hostel in September, destroyed the facility, exacerbating the institution’s already dire accommodation crisis. As a result, many students, especially the first years, have been left with no option but to rent rooms outside the school premises, straining their finances and academic routines.
Established in 2006, the Zuarungu Health Nursing Training College currently has a student population of 1,160. Despite long-standing challenges such as inadequate classroom space and limited boarding facilities, the college remains one of five nursing training institutions in the Upper East Region producing qualified healthcare professionals annually.
Although the college administration has rolled out temporary measures to house displaced students, the situation remains far from ideal, as first-year students bear the brunt of the disaster.
“The situation has affected academic activities especially for the first-year students. We have provided temporary accommodation for some of them, and others too are renting outside through the support of the tutors who have made sure landlords don’t take undue advantage of the situation to charge them more”.
“We are appealing for urgent support for the expansion of existing facilities to accommodate more students.” said the college principal, Alhaji Tirah Haruna.
In a show of community solidarity, the Zuarungu Traditional Council has donated GHS 10,000 to assist the college to reconstruct the hostel and has called on the government to expedite efforts in rehabilitating the destroyed hostel.
Students, who continue to grapple with the consequences of the disaster, are also making passionate appeals for swift government intervention to restore normalcy and prevent further disruption to their education.
“This is where we are sleeping, but we are too many here and the place is small. So, give the government should quickly come to our aid,” said Akolbilla Priscilla.
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