PROSPECTIVE nurses require five Ordinary Level subjects, including English and Science, and these requirements have not changed since Statutory Instrument of 245 of 2000.
There was speculation over the weekend that the Government had eased entry requirements following an advertisement in The Sunday Mail only indicating English and Science as mandatory subjects but not Mathematics.
The absence of Mathematics on the requirements list was wrongly interpreted as an easing of requirements, but Health and Child Care Permanent Secretary Dr Aspect Maunganidze yesterday clarified the situation.
He said the absence of Mathematics on the requirements list did not mean that the subject was not needed. Dr Maunganidze made reference to SI245 of 2000 which gives impetus to English and Science as obligatory for nurse training.
“The advert is correct. It does not mean though that Mathematics is not needed per se. Those are the minimum requirements and as we shortlist, considerations will be put to other subjects that are an added advantage.
“In terms of SI 245 of 2000, which is still valid and has not been changed, it is English and Science that are mandatory for the minimum five subjects that are required. Practical subjects are not considered,” he said.
Dr Maunganidze said the Ministry would soon have a stakeholders meeting to revamp the recruitment policy so that it speaks to the current settings in terms of job qualifications and necessary requirements for recruitment.
Depending on the numbers that apply, considerations would be made for additional passes in other subjects that were also important in nursing that would then be considered first in the shortlisting.
“It is a default position we have taken because we are still going to do an all stakeholders meeting to look at how the recruitment policy for nursing can be revamped to speak to the current settings in terms of job qualifications and all the necessary requirements for recruitment.
“We anticipate that between now and September we would have done the needful, and if necessary that SI will be changed.
“You might also be aware that even in our tertiary institutions, adverts will just specify that the following subjects, but the actual issues like grading and other advantages will be looked at during the shortlisting process,” added Dr Maunganidze.
