The Catholic Church must consider and reasses the antics of her many SCHOOLS OF NURSING especially in Eastern Nigeria where almost every diocese has a nursing school.
Most of these schools run by Church nuns have become conduits of loot and centre for exploitation of teeming youths who desire the nursing profession. First of all, the Nursing Council requires an internal examination called Preliminary Training School (PTS) for all students after three months of admission based on their classroom and practical works.
In this case only those candidates who pass this examination will be allowed to continue the training.The Council however sets an average number of probably 60 students per set to continue their training after PTS, but sadly, the schools will recruit as much as 400 students with mind boggling prospectus that compels them to spend up to N500, 000 as new students. Six months into the programme, a few of them will be selected while others are sent away on grounds of PTS result.
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We acknowledge the fact of subjecting students to examination to ascertain their suitability for the programme considering its sensitivity, but it is a grave moral evil and against charity to cash in on the vulnerability of helpless citizens and exploit them this way because of their desperation.
Most of these students have already be dealt with by Jamb and the Nigerian society, taking a second look at education through practical nursing training became a recommendation for them.
Subjecting them further to hardship will definitely offend the mind of Jesus Christ.
The Church must seek to reduce this form of extortion in her institutions by setting a standard and reasonable number of students for admission per term and reduce to the berest minimum the cost of entrance and preliminary training within the 1-6 months so that someone is sure why she is paying hugely for a training.
It is mournful to see how devastated and frustrated these students and their parents could be when they are asked to go after spending huge amount of money.
Also, the tension and phobia with which they prepare for this PTS is not healthy. They are often faced with the grim fact of losing the lofty amount paid for the prelimary training. Such a situation can lead candidates to despair.
These are pertinent issues which are capable of ruining the image and dignity of the Church especially when she preaches against unjust structures and policies that confine man to the margin of servitude and anxiety. If this situation remains this way it will present the Church as a metaphoric abode of the poor.
@Dan Ugwu
