To address the congestion of trainees in hospitals and health centres, the minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni, has directed nursing and midwifery schools to reduce their student intakes despite improvement in student performance, writes YUDAYA NANGONZI.
Museveni said that whereas healthcare education is critical, nursing and midwifery programs should comprise only numbers that can be handled by the existing training institutions and health facilities. She insisted that overcrowding was a symptom of inadequate planning by the ministry officials in charge of admissions.
"As you all know, we do not have the resources to take care of many things including building enough hospitals or expanding the existing ones to train our nurses, midwives, and other health workers," Museveni said.
She added: "Therefore, the wise, prudent, and easiest intervention within our power now is to reduce the number of students admitted in the first place. And then, the other expensive solutions that take time and money can come later when resources permit."
Museveni issued the directive while releasing the 37th series of the final Uganda Nurses and Midwives Examinations Board (UNMEB) results at State House, Nakasero on Thursday last week.
The minister's directive followed complaints from the UNMEB chairperson, Christine Nimwesiga, that the increased enrollment of trainees had exerted pressure on the existing hospitals. Nimwesiga said the board recommended that the education ministry studies the matter comprehensively to maintain quality health education and training.
Museveni reiterated that the congestion in health training institutions and hospitals was not new as the health minister, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, has raised similar concerns during inter-ministerial interactions. At least 18,470 final candidates were assessed by UNMEB from June 10 to 28, 2024 in 132 accredited examination centers across the country.
According to Nimwesiga, the increase in training institutions and the subsequent enrollment of additional students necessitated the establishment of more examination centres and examiners.
"Whereas in June 2023 we had 122 UNMEB centers, this number has grown to 132 as of June 2024. The number of examiners for June 2023 was 2,168 compared with 2,322 in June 2024. We largely attribute the increase in enrollment of trainees to emphasis on science subjects in basic and secondary education levels," Nimwesiga said.
IMPROVED PERFORMANCE
The executive secretary of UNMEB, Helen Mukakarisa, noted an overall improved performance of candidates at both certificate and diploma levels. Out of the 18,470 final candidates, 2,622 were diploma candidates while 15,848 on certificate programs. The 37th series registered 13,775 (74.6%) female candidates compared to 4,695 (25.4%) male.
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The curriculum for midwifery programs at certificate and diploma levels does not provide for enrollment of male students due to "cultural and religious sensitivities."
Of the 15,848 registered certificate candidates, at least 15,174 (95.7%) passed these examinations. 635 were ungraded while 39 missed the examinations.
"The board has observed that the candidates for Certificate in Nursing performed better overall compared to their counterparts of Certificate in Midwifery and Certificate in Mental Health Nursing and yet the admission requirements are the same and are trained using the same facilities," Mukakarisa said.
At the diploma level, out of the 2,622 registered candidates, 2,479 passed, 135 were ungraded, and eight were absent. She attributed the better performance to the inspection of all Health Training Institutions, facilitation of mentors in public health facilities to train students, and revalidation of exam centres which enabled institutions to improve their skills laboratories, and infrastructure.
Meanwhile, the results of eight candidates alleged to have engaged in exam malpractice were withheld, pending a final resolution by the board. Mukakarisa urged candidates who did not attain the desirable marks to immediately report back to their respective institutions for the next examinations.
