Bogus-colleges problem denied
2006-02-14 18:28
Port Elizabeth - Eastern Cape health officials have denied that bogus nursing colleges are mushrooming up in the province.
This, after academic background screening company Kroll MIE claimed to have been told by the department of five "bogus" colleges luring students with promises of jobs, then charging them between R3 900 and R8 000.
Department spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo said the information was from an "old statement" issued last year about health and welfare-sector education and training service providers that had promised students they would become nurses.
The department had since told the service providers that the six-month course they ran was not to qualify nurses, but was ancillary training. It planned to hold a workshop with them later in the year to clear up the misunderstanding.
Kupelo said 400 matriculants had been admitted to the department's four-year nursing course and would receive a R3 400 monthly allowance.
Another 200 students, who had failed matric, but passed standards eight or nine, would be trained as nursing assistants in the next two years.
- SAPA