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Govt scraps 1-sitting requirement for nurse training enrolment
2 hrs ago |
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Harare, 3 October 2025 - The Government has scrapped the requirement that nurse training applicants must have obtained their five Ordinary Level passes in a single sitting, after realising the rule unfairly excluded capable students, legislators have heard.
Health and Child Welfare Minister, Dr Douglas Mombeshora, told the National Assembly during Wednesday's question-and-answer session that the policy change was designed to widen access, particularly for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
"In the past, we said we wanted only O-Levels obtained in one sitting, but we discovered that some children did not fail—rather, their parents could not afford to pay for five or more subjects at once. We have since paved the way for those with more than one sitting to be enrolled," he said.
Responding to Mkoba legislator John Kuka, who asked about the exclusion of rural and remote learners, Dr Mombeshora said nurse training institutions are now required to recruit at least 50 percent of their intake from local communities. The quota system, introduced in 2024, is aimed at ensuring equal representation across districts and provinces.
However, he acknowledged that the demand for training places far outweighs capacity. "The number of candidates applying is very high, but available schools cannot recruit more due to shortages of teaching staff and inadequate infrastructure," he said.
To address the challenges, the ministry has rolled out e-learning in 23 of the country's 73 nurse training schools, although progress is being hampered by limited ICT equipment and unreliable internet access. Government is also working to expand training institutions by engaging private hospitals, in addition to existing facilities like Hwange Hospital.
Dr Mombeshora further revealed that Treasury has committed to doubling the number of nurses employed by 2030. "We are training more nurses, but we also need to ensure they are absorbed into the health system. Recruitment is part of our long-term plan," he said.
The reforms come as Zimbabwe faces growing demand for healthcare workers, with thousands of applicants vying for limited training places each year.
Health and Child Welfare Minister, Dr Douglas Mombeshora, told the National Assembly during Wednesday's question-and-answer session that the policy change was designed to widen access, particularly for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
"In the past, we said we wanted only O-Levels obtained in one sitting, but we discovered that some children did not fail—rather, their parents could not afford to pay for five or more subjects at once. We have since paved the way for those with more than one sitting to be enrolled," he said.
Responding to Mkoba legislator John Kuka, who asked about the exclusion of rural and remote learners, Dr Mombeshora said nurse training institutions are now required to recruit at least 50 percent of their intake from local communities. The quota system, introduced in 2024, is aimed at ensuring equal representation across districts and provinces.
However, he acknowledged that the demand for training places far outweighs capacity. "The number of candidates applying is very high, but available schools cannot recruit more due to shortages of teaching staff and inadequate infrastructure," he said.
To address the challenges, the ministry has rolled out e-learning in 23 of the country's 73 nurse training schools, although progress is being hampered by limited ICT equipment and unreliable internet access. Government is also working to expand training institutions by engaging private hospitals, in addition to existing facilities like Hwange Hospital.
Dr Mombeshora further revealed that Treasury has committed to doubling the number of nurses employed by 2030. "We are training more nurses, but we also need to ensure they are absorbed into the health system. Recruitment is part of our long-term plan," he said.
The reforms come as Zimbabwe faces growing demand for healthcare workers, with thousands of applicants vying for limited training places each year.
Source - The Herald
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