Government Scraps One-Sitting O-Level Requirement for Nurse Training
The Government of Zimbabwe has scrapped the controversial one-sitting rule for nurse training enrolment, allowing students with multiple O-Level sittings to qualify.
The move is aimed at widening access and addressing past inequalities that excluded learners from underprivileged backgrounds
Health and Child Care Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora confirmed the changes during a question-and-answer session in the National Assembly on Wednesday.
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Minister Explains Policy Shift
Dr Mombeshora said the former requirement of five O-Level passes obtained in one sitting often excluded learners whose families could not afford to register for all subjects at once.
“We removed the requirement that we had said that we want only O-levels and a student should have sat once. We discovered that some of the children did not fail, but some of their parents could not afford the registration of five or more subjects at once. In those places, we are paving the way for those who have more than one sitting to be enrolled,” he said.
Quota System to Promote Equal Representation
The Minister also stressed the importance of giving local communities access to nurse training, stating that institutions should enrol at least 50 percent of their intake from surrounding districts.
“The quota system, which was introduced in 2024, was meant to promote equal representation in all districts in the provinces. It is recommended that the responsible officers in these districts consider those who have been applying for a long time and meet the entry requirements but are not shortlisted,” said Dr Mombeshora.
He added that the overwhelming number of applicants continues to pose challenges for institutions with limited capacity due to a shortage of teaching staff and infrastructure.
Demand Outstrips Supply
The demand for nursing training places remains high, with the Minister admitting that many aspiring candidates are left out despite meeting entry requirements.
“It is a mammoth task and that is why we simply said in every district that has a hospital that trains nurses, that same district with that school must have 50 percent of the children coming from that same district. That is the quota which we did and then we stated that the province should provide a certain percentage,” Dr Mombeshora explained.
Expansion Plans and E-Learning
To address the shortfall, the Ministry is working on expanding training opportunities, including partnerships with private hospitals and the rollout of e-learning.
“The ministry is in the process of identifying and capacitating other institutions that can train nurses. E-learning has been introduced in 23 out of the 73 schools and it will address the shortage of teaching staff, but the challenges remain of inadequate ICT equipment and unavailability of WiFi,” said Dr Mombeshora.
He added that Government would continue to launch more nurse training institutions to ease pressure and ensure wider access.
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