Harvarde College Reacts to Allegations of Illegal Nursing Programme

Harvarde College of Science, Business and Management Studies has addressed the allegations of running an illegal Nursing Programme, following various media reports claiming the program’s disaccreditation and the tragic death of a 200-level Nursing student.

The institution has clarified that they are not operating an illegal program and provided an in-depth explanation of the recent changes in Nursing education in Nigeria.

According to the National Universities Commission (NUC), Nursing as a course in Nigeria was initially a Professional Course, with students being awarded Registered Nursing (RN) and Registered Midwifery (RM) certificates after three years of study.

However, with the recent upgrade, Nursing Science is now taught as both an Academic and Professional course, similar to other professional courses like Medicine, Law, Engineering, and Pharmacy.

The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has also played a significant role in this transformation, converting the traditional Schools of Nursing to Colleges of Nursing with Monotechnic status and Provosts as the heads.

This change has allowed Colleges of Nursing to award National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) in Nursing Science before students undergo professional exams and licensing by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN).

Harvarde College of Science, Business and Management Studies has established a separate College of Nursing Science, named PenHarvard College of Nursing, to comply with the NBTE’s directive.

However, the Ogun State Ministry of Health and Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria recently closed down the lecture theatres where the Nursing Science program was being run, citing the need for accreditation.

The College’s management has assured the public that they are in the process of obtaining the necessary accreditation from the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria.

They also clarified that the death of the Ex-Student, Ajoke, was due to her personal circumstances and not related to the quality of education provided by the institution.

Harvarde College of Science, Business and Management Studies has emphasized that they are committed to providing a high-quality Nursing program and are working diligently to obtain the required accreditations.

The institution has also expressed its appreciation for the proactive measures taken by the Ogun State Ministry of Health and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria in ensuring that their Nursing program meets the necessary standards.