The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has shut down Royal Nursing College at Tafo Nyhiaeso in the Ashanti Region over failure to secure proper accreditation and non-compliance with regulatory directives.
GTEC officials, accompanied by personnel from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), conducted an on-site inspection of the institution on Thursday, February 19, and announced the immediate closure after about an hour of assessment.
According to the Commission, the college lacks accreditation from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and failed to adhere to a June 2024 directive to cease admitting new students until full regulatory compliance was achieved.
The institution is reported to have enrolled more than 800 students, many of whom were left stranded following the sudden shutdown. GTEC described the closure as a necessary step to safeguard students’ interests and maintain standards in tertiary nursing education.
Management of the college was said to have been unable to produce the required documentation to verify its accreditation status and legal operation.
During the exercise, the wife of the proprietor and some members of the college’s management were taken into custody by CID officers who were present at the scene.
The development triggered emotional scenes on campus, with several students seen in tears and expressing deep frustration. Some lamented that they had recently paid school fees, only to have their academic pursuits abruptly disrupted.
GTEC has assured that arrangements are being made to relocate affected students to accredited nursing training institutions across the country. Special consideration, the Commission said, will be given to final-year students to enable them to complete their programmes without further delay.