The Abia State nursing schools have been embroiled in controversy over the Preliminary Test Session (PTS) examinations, leading to the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria suspending the exercise indefinitely.
Dr. Ngozi Okoronkwo, the Abia State Commissioner for Health, who was accompanied by the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Okey Kanu, relayed this information to journalists in Umuahia.
Dr. Okoronkwo revealed that the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria took the decision due to the over-bloated admissions to the Amachara School of Nursing and School of Nursing, Umuahia.
The previous administration in the State admitted 420 students for nursing courses, as opposed to the permitted 75 slots. She gave her word that the Abia State administration is making every effort to find a solution.
Controversy surrounding the PST examination had been brewing in the State, with some students accusing the Director of Nursing in the State, Onyeukwu Nwakaego, and other top officials of compromising the examination.
On the other hand, a different group of nursing students, led by Chidiebere Michael, criticized the cancellation of their initial examination.
Reacting to this, the Abia State administration called off the initial exercise and set a free retake examination, yet several nursing students tried to sabotage the re-sit exam, saying their WAEC scores were the reason they weren’t accepted.
These allegations were refuted by the commissioner of health, who disclosed that several pupils who were protesting had been found to have submitted fictitious WAEC results.
