Over 500 graduate at Lira nursing school

GRADUATION  

LIRA - A total of 517 students of Lira school of comprehensive nursing have graduated with certificates and diploma in comprehensive nursing and midwifery.

The commissioner Business, Technical, Vocational Education and Training in the ministry of education and sports Dr. Safina Kisu Musene presided over the graduation ceremony held at the school campus.

The vice chancellor of Lira University, Prof Jasper Ogwal Okeng said there is severe shortage of health staff in the country and any single addition should be appreciated.

"You are going to a very different World outside there and I would like to advise you to be our good ambassadors by sticking to your work ethics and professionalism," he said.  

Graduands during their graduation ceremony at Lira school of compreheive nursing. Over 500 students graduated with certificates and diploma in comprehensive nursing and midwifery. Photo by Patrick Okino

 
Ogwal said there is high demand for quality health services and it's the reason why the institution is overwhelmed by number of students coming to pursue medical courses.

"The population has increased more than double because every parent wants his or her child to pursue nursing and midwifery courses," he reasoned.

The school`s principal, Ekata Norah Catherine besides congratulating the graduands, she stressed that the institution was still facing a lot of challenges.

"We get inadequate funds from the government for government sponsored students adding that the school was understaffed and also had limited space for expansion.

"We request the ministry of education and sports to increase the conditional grant so that it suits the number of sponsored students," she requested. The school has the enrollment of 974 students and has only ten tutors.

 Dr. Musene who represented the permanent secretary in the ministry of education and sports, cautioned graduates against reckless lifestyle saying any of them who mess up will contract HIV/AIDS.

She said the ministry has appointed two tutors and will recruit more to ensure that understaffing is addressed.