NURSING POST BASIC SCHOOLS TO BECOME POST GRADUATE COLLEGES FOR THE AWARD OF “MASTERS CERTIFICATES” AS LAUTECH TAKES THE LEAD.

NURSING POST BASIC SCHOOLS TO BECOME POST GRADUATE COLLEGES FOR THE AWARD OF “MASTERS CERTIFICATES” AS LAUTECH TAKES THE LEAD.

The Nursing and midwifery council of Nigeria put smiles on the faces of Nigerian Nurses yesterday after the release of the circular mandating all nursing post basic schools to be upgraded to post graduate colleges for the award of masters specialities in nursing. This is coming after years of agitations by various nursing bodies both in Nigeria and in diaspora.
The circular, dated 11th of February 2018 With reference number N&MCN/EDU/CIR/44/VOL.1 /43 signed by the council registrar Read thus;

“The nursing and midwifery council of Nigeria after due approval from the governing board at the 47th annual meeting held in Abuja on 18th – 20th December 2018 is embarking on restructuring of current post basic nursing program Into post graduate programs. This part of the nursing education reform is geared towards ensuring that graduates of this program are awarded commensurate academic certificates. This will pave way for our career progression in line with conventional system of education in Nigeria as well as promote satisfaction among professionals.
In line with the above, please note the following blueprints and time lines to guide your further actions.
1. All current hospital based nursing speciality program should be affiliated to or assimilated into their parent universities and be operated as either Postgraduate Diploma or master Program in Nursing specialities.

The council hereby appeals to all proprietors of post basic nursing speciality programs to engage with their parent universities and work out modalities for a smooth transition and reform into the new structure.
Thank you for supporting the council to promote and maintain excellence in nursing and midwifery education and practice”.

Speaking with FNA correspondent, a senior officer at the NMCN office Abuja confirms this development, according to him the implication of this reform is that all post basic nursing specialities program will be affiliated into postgraduate programs for the award of masters academic certificates. This will aid career progression as well as fulfilment and satisfaction for the graduates of such programs.

Ladoke Akintola University of Science and Technology will be one of the leading universities embracing this progressive development. Speaking on the reform, the Dean of the newly created faculty of nursing sciences, Prof Ajibade has said modalities are on ground to start post graduate programs. According to him
“We are seriously working on modalities to kick start these program as fast as possible, it will be designed in a way that if you have your first degree in nursing, you can enrol into our school of post graduate program and have your masters in Anaesthesia, ENT, Mental health, Perioperative nursing and so on.

This is yet another milestone in the development of nursing education reform since the current council registrar assumed office.

Oluwatosin K. Odunayo,

FNA News