Wednesday, August 22, 2007 Baluran wants nursing schools checked for standard compliance By Grace L. Plata
COUNCILOR Conrado Baluran called on education authorities to form a fact-finding committee to investigate alleged irregularities in the compliance of requirements by some nursing schools in the city.
In a privilege speech Tuesday, Baluran said the quality of nursing in the country has deteriorated over the years.
"The high demand for nurses set off a big upsurge in nursing schools, which sprang up to accommodate the tremendously high enrollment. Unfortunately, this in turn led to a decline in the quality of nursing education," Baluran said.
Baluran said the overwhelming number of students wanting to become nurses contributes to the desire of schools to have as many graduates as they can. Allowing this, however, has resulted to irregularities in the completion of requirements.
"For instance and in fact, there are some nursing schools in Davao City, which are unscrupulously letting their students graduate without having them comply with the requirements in the curriculum necessary for graduation as well as for taking the board exam. This is a real case, mind you," Baluran said. He did not specify what these unmet requirements are.
Thus, Baluran said, the graduates are barred from taking the board when all the while they thought they have already met the requirements.
"I do not wish to preempt and encroach upon the functions of the concerned agencies whose main tasks are to look upon this matter. However, as legislator, it is my duty to see to it that the policy of the State in promoting the quality of our nursing graduates should not be jeopardized," Baluran said.
During the session proper, Baluran proposed a resolution requesting the Commission on Higher Education, Department of Education, PRC, and Department of Health to investigate the matter.
The body has not yet approved the resolution but referred it to the committees on education and health chaired by Councilor Mabel Sunga Acosta and Councilor Samuel B. Bangoy, respectively.
