A GROUP of nurses objected to the suggestion to do away with the professional licensure examinations, saying this would put public health at risk.
In a radio interview, Filipino Nurses United (FNU) secretary general Jocelyn Andamo said the existing education system for nurses cannot be trusted yet to produce quality graduates, as indicated by the low passing rate in the licensure examinations.
"With the current situation, wherein the nursing education is highly commercialized with poor government regulation as to the standards and quality, it won't be good to remove the licensure exams," she said.
"The nurses licensure examination passing rate is only 43 percent, which makes it the lowest among PRC-regulated professionals. This may be an alarming indicator of low quality education," she added.
She said removing the licensure exams would be acceptable once the government can ensure that the educational system can produce quality professionals.
"When the time comes that nursing education is already well regulated, we won't be needing the board exams anymore. That is also our dream," she said.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III earlier said he has asked the Profession Regulation Commission to look into the possibility of recommending the removal of licensure examinations in the country.
He said aspiring professionals have had enough examinations during college.
Such a proposal, however, will need an amendment of the law, he said. (HDT / SunStar Philippines)