KAMPALA, UGANDA: Government through the Education Ministry has announced that the comprehensive nursing certificate and diploma course has been phased out with immediate effect in the new academic year.
Hon Chrysostom Muyingo, the State Minister for Higher Education revealed on Friday, January 15th, 2022, while presiding over the release of Uganda Nurses and Midwives Examination results that were conducted in September 2021 by the Uganda Nurses and Midwives Examination Board (UNMEB).
Minister Muyingo said that the decision to phase out the comprehensive Nursing and Midwifery programme was based on advice given by different stakeholders from the Ministry of Education and Health.
The course was first introduced in Uganda in 1993 to give a mixed set of skills from different nursing specialties like general nursing, psychiatry, pediatrics, community health nursing, and midwifery and it has been the most preferred field of nursing attracting over 300 students annually across the country.
For instance, among the continuing students who sat for the just-released examination results, 247 students sat for the September exam.
The Commissioner of Health Training Institutions at the Ministry of Education and Sports Dr. Safina Musene said that despite the popularity of the course among students, employers find it irrelevant.
Dr Musene said that since the new Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) policy is driven by the world of work or demand of employers the Ministry of Education and Sports found the course to be redundant.
According to Dr. Musene, the phasing out takes immediate effect and added that starting this new academic year, new students will not be able to enroll for this course, however, continuing students will be given the chance to complete their Certificates and Diplomas.
The Board chairperson of the Uganda Nurses and Midwives Examination Board, Mariam Walusimbi said the phasing out of the course will be a shock to many as it has been the most popular over the years and many of the students liked the course because it is easy to find employment and the student nurses who complete could easily get employment.
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