Support nursing school

 MENDI School of Nursing chairman Joe Yasi has challenged the Southern Highlands provincial government to give priority to its only tertiary institution in the province.

Yasi told hundreds of people who gathered last Wednesday at the institution to witness the first graduation after it was shut down due to a tribal fight.

“The provincial government must be proud of such an institution when nurses are in high demand in the country. The college lacked many infrastructures and it has become a concern,” Yasi said.

He said they had made use of the limited resources and were graduating the nurses who were ready to serve this nation.

“The 61 students graduating had the stamina, dedication and had persevered with the maximum three years’ course with sufficient understanding in both theory and practice of nursing. They havefully satisfied the assessment requirement set by UPNG School of Medicine and Health Sciences, the nursing council and health nursing standards to graduate,” he said.

He said they would be working in some of the rural areas where nursing was badly needed. 

Principal Sr Lucy Langer said this year’s first-year intake was 110 students and four students were squeezed into a room.

She said she wanted to remove some of them but it was their education rights to be enrolled.

“The college lacks many important infrastructure to absorb more students. It is a pity to see students sitting outside on the grass and having their dinner because the mess is too small to cater for everyone,” Sr Lucy said.