Governor of Edo State Godwin Obaseki has directed the management of the Edo State College of Nursing Sciences to reassess the admission of one of the students of the institution, Miss Precious Umoru, with a view to determining her suitability or otherwise for nursing and midwifery profession.
Governor Obaseki, according to the commissioner for communication and orientation, Mr Chris Osa Nehikhare, gave the directive following the controversy that trailed the academic advice to withdraw studentship given to Miss Umoru by the management of the college.
Umoru, who applied for admission into the institution and participated in the Computer Based Test (CBT), passed it and was offered admission, however had studentship withdrawn after she was found to have some health challenges that were considered as impairments to her desire to practice nursing and midwifery.
Explaining the circumstances that led to the advice to withdraw issued to the student, Professor Patricia Ukagwue, the provost of the college, said that when Umoru reported in the school for resumption, and was allocated a room on the second floor of the hostel, the student complained that she could not climb the stairs.
Upon closer examination, Ukagwue added that it was discovered that the student “has some physical challenges as she has tremor and shakes such that she could not stand very well.”
“Nursing and midwifery profession is a strenuous profession that requires physical fitness. The practice has a lot to do with the physical stability and health of the practitioners and this particular individual does not have such attributes”, the provost pointed out.