We are not illegally running our Nursing programme – Havarde College reacts

Our attention has been drawn to different versions of stories on various Media platforms, especially the Social Media platforms which claimed that our Nursing Programme has been disaccredited and its disaccreditation caused the death of a 200-level Nursing Student.

In as much as we won’t join issues with those Media platforms which reported that the Ogun State Ministry of Health shut our School for running illegal Nursing Programme, it’s better to put the record straight at this point.

It’s no doubt that Nursing as a Course didn’t start in Nigeria as Academic Course, but it did start in Nigeria as a Professional Course with Schools of Nursing, and their Graduates were awarded, after three years of studies, (RN) – Registered Nursing and (RM) -Registered Midwifery, respectively.

But, the recent upgrade changed the face of Nursing Science in Nigeria as it’s been taught as both Academic and Professional just like other Professional Courses, such as Medicine, Law, Engineering, Medical Laboratory Science, Pharmacy, Accounting, among others for which students must offer certain academic courses for certain number of years before they are finally qualified for professional trainings which prepare them for licencing and the professions.

Hence, the National Universities Commission (NUC) took the bull by the horns sometime ago to start BSN – Bachelor of Nursing Science, a 5-year academic degree in Nursing Science before the professional aspect and licencing as being coordinated by Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN).

The latest upgrade in Nursing Education was done by National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) with the conversion of hitherto School of Nursing which awarded Registered Nursing (RN) Certificate and Registered Midwifery (RM) Certificate to full-fledged Colleges of Nursing with Monotechnic Statuses, and Provosts as the Heads instead of Principals earlier used as the Heads.

What the upgrade by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) now means is that Colleges of Nursing are statutorily empowered to award National Diploma and Higher National Diploma in Nursing Science before professional exams by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCH) and licencing to operate in the Health Sector.

This was what the National Board of Technical Education (NBTE) requested Harvarde College of Science, Business and Management Studies to taking out ND and HND for Nursing Science completely, from Harvarde College of Science, Business and Management Studies, by creating a separate College of Nursing where ND and HND Nursing Science will be run with a separate College.

Complying with the NBTE’s directive, Harvarde College of Science, Business and Management Studies Management has therefore established an entirely new College of Nursing Science named PenHarvard College of Nursing which has seperate structure and Nursing equipment different from the structure and equipment being used by Harvarde College of Science, Business and Management Studies.

We were in process of getting accreditation for the Nursing Science Programmes- ND and HND by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) when Ogun State Ministry of Health and Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria came to the School where we used to run the Nursing Science, closing it down in according with the Extant Law as regards the upgrade as being undertaken by either NUC or NBTE for Bachelor of Nursing, National Diploma or Higher National Diploma.

So, the sealing of the Harvard College lecture theatre hall doesn’t mean canceling of our pursuing Nursing Science Programme – ND and HND as we are already pursuing NBTE’s Accreditation which it’s compulsory to do based on the Federal Government regulations through NBTE and Nursing council compelled us to do as soon as practicable.

Having said that, the Management of Harvarde College of Science, Business and Management Studies appreciates the proactive measures taken by both the Ogun State Ministry of Health and Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria as regards the said sealing of our lecture theatres where we used for Nursing Programme at the beginning, and advised us to demarcate the place which will assiduously help to get Provisional and Full Accreditation for our Nursing Programme.

I want to assure you that very soon, we shall have the course to invite both Ogun State Ministry of Health and Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria for Accreditation exercise and graduation of our Nursing students by God Grace as the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) will soon conclude Academic Accreditation, while will expect the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria to do Professional Accreditation and Licencing of our Students to practise in the Nation’s Health Sector later.

For the unfortunate incident that claimed the life of Ex-Student, one Ajoke, who had left our School since 2023 based on her failure in her academics, our investigations through Adigbe Division of Nigeria Police Force, Ogun State Police Command indicated that Ajoke died of poisonous substance she took when she didn’t know who exactly was responsible for her pregnancy, and all efforts to get it terminated proved abortive as she later resorted to killing to save her shame.

This is nothing but the truth on Ajoke’s death. We believe that all records, exhibit and the Police are there for anybody to see and interrogate on the remote and immediate cause of her death.

Signed:

Dr Oluwatosin Adebayo,
President, Harvarde College of Science, Business and Management Studies