Nurses in training did not qualify for course

A FURTHER 26 nursing students have been flagged in an investigation into how people who did not qualify for state-funded nursing training have managed to enrol.

The health department launched the probe about a fortnight ago after 10 students were found to have not met the minimum requirements to study at the Lilitha Nursing College.

The college, which sends its students to public hospitals in East London, Port Elizabeth, Komani, Lusikisiki and Mthatha for practical training, is dogged by allegations of bribery, which involve undeserving students allegedly paying bribes of at least R2 500 to secure enrolment for the four-year nursing diploma.

The 10 students have been expelled by the department while health officials who formed part of the selection committee that recruited them were placed under scrutiny.

Some of the 10 did not have the compulsory life sciences/biology subjects or scored fewer than the 18 points required for admission.

The discovery was made three months into the first year of the course when the students were being registered with the South African Nursing Council.

The council is a statutory governing body which assures quality service at hospitals.

The students are supposed to be registered with it before they can do their practicals at hospitals.