A high number of nursing students at the local school of nursing last year failed their final examinations as some of the tutors wasted teaching time singing or praying for the learners, an investigation has revealed.
The provincial medical director, Simukai Zihou and Celestino Dhege, the Marondera hospital superintendent, early this year, launched a probe into poor pass rates amid fears that the school was recruiting unqualified students.
However, the probe team, which was chaired by Murewa district medical officer, Reginald Gwisai, blamed the teaching methods and poor relations at the school for the poor results.
“One of the tutors was teaching without a plan and wasted time singing, praying and discussing social issues. One of the tutors gave students group work which was not supervised,” part of the report reads.
“The acting tutor-in-charge was said not to be in control of the school and senior tutors were said to be dictating events at the school and the team of senior tutors changed laid down procedures.
Bad relations from the previous senior tutor-in-charge have spilled over to the current. There was consistent poor time management in the teaching of basic surgery, nervous system, ophthalmology.
“Basic surgery which is supposed to be taught in 28 hours was taught in 41 hours. Nervous system was taught in 41 hours instead of 18 hours,” the report says.
The long teaching hours, according to the report, were a form of punishing the students.
“Administration of punishments which are excessive and do not follow laid down disciplinary procedures and making students to work in the clinical area on weekends before sitting for examinations,” were also cited as some of the reasons of the poor pass rate.
The report said the students who failed their examinations should rewrite while the acting tutor-in-charge should be attached to another school for one year for further training in management.
One of the tutors was also transferred to another school to avoid further conflicts at the Marondera School.-NewZimbabwe.com
