Male Nursing Graduate Grateful to Govt for Toppers Scholarship
Nelvish Singh is grateful to Government for giving him a Toppers Scholarship to study.
The scholarship enabled him to graduate with Bachelor of Nursing Science from TISI Sangam College of Nursing and Health Care Education.
The 22-year-old of Valebasoga, Labasa was among the 98 students who graduated last week.
He is the lone male student who received two special awards in Overall Academic Excellence and Academic Excellence in Population Health.
The only child of Nilend Singh and Devina Singh could still remember how he was the last person to be accepted by the college for admission.
“After passing Fiji Year 13 Certificate Examination with 334 out of 400, I was taking my time to decide which tertiary education to pursue,” Nelvish said.
He had received a call for an interview from the nursing college, but rejected it.
“It was until my uncle, Ravinesh Singh, a nurse of Labasa Hospital encouraged me that apart from a good salary, the benefit this noble profession was the joy of seeing your patients recovering from health-related problems and being blessed by them in return,” he
said.
“I thank my parents who struggled to get me enrolled into nursing and grandparents.
“During my three years of education, I never took sick leave and sacrificed so many hours because I wanted to become a nurse.
“The most challenging experience was having online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic, preparing for exams which were held every two weeks and then attending practical sessions.”
With the scholarship he was able to stay with his parents in Labasa and pursue his studies.
He heaped praises on college director Eleni Kata for giving him a second chance.
Ms Kata said Nelvish reaped the rewards of hard work, sacrifice and dedication, to be top student of Class 2019.
“Because of the lockdown and logistical issues, the above cohort graduated in absentia, as endorsed by the Academic and Staff Board of the College,” Ms Kata said.
She said the College was established to cater for Northern students by the TISI Sangam Fiji, but they have over the years enrolled students from other parts of the country.
“Apart from contributing to the health services in Fiji, we hope that we have taken families out of poverty with employment opportunities afforded to nurses, midwives and other nursing cadres that we have graduated over our 17 years of existence,” she said.
“Along with the 98 graduates, 19 students graduated with a Postgraduate Diploma of Midwifery.”