Student Nurses of Imo State College of Nursing Sciences, Orlu ( ICON) have described the alleged N400,000 per session fee imposed on the College management as reported in the media, as total falsehood, unfounded and misleading.
The students said that the allegation was a calculated attempt to tarnish the image of Provost and the College Management, noting that at no time, such a huge amount has been paid in the institution.
They argued that there is no hidden fees in the State owned College of Nursing Sciences, pointing out that all the fees of the College are open and in public domain.
The students who appealed to the State Commissioner for Education in the state, Prof. BTO Ikegwuoha, to avoid being unduly used to destroy the only promising State owned Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria accredited College of Nursing in the state, however noted that those behind the N400,000 fee falsehood, do not have the interest of the College at heart.
One female student nurse who identified herself as Lilian said that the Prospectus of the Imo State College of Nursing Sciences Orlu is not hidden, wondering how someone can allege that they pay N400,000 per session, when it is not true.
She said, “I m a student of this College and since I entered this college, I have never paid above the normal fees.
“New students pay N106,000 which also includes their Procedure Book, Code of Ethics for Nursing book, Students Handbook and Orientation fee. While the old students pay N67,500 per session.
“So how does this amount to N400,000,? I m telling you what I pay as a present student of the college. My worry is now how come about the N400,000 fee?”
Another student of the College who strongly pleaded anonymity, accused some people whom he described as ” Internal Bad Elements’ of sabotaging the efforts of the Provost in repositioning the College, because of their selfish interest, stressing that the Commissioner for Education, Prof Ikegwuoha is being fed with falsehood against the Provost.
The student insisted that some people in the college are hell bent on playing politics with the future of the College and appealed to the Commissioner for Education to always cross check all information about the college with the Provost, Princess Ngozi Duru.
” Listen, why is it that we play politics in every thing in Imo State? When I read about N400,000 per session fee on social media, I felt very bad because it is nothing but falsehood.
“Our brother, Prof Ikegwuoha should not allow outsiders to use him to destroy our own College of Nursing, there are a lot of falsehood flying in this college, it is unfortunate that some people have vowed that the College must be closed down since it is not located in their place which is wrong” she said
A management staff of the college who also pleaded anonymity said that the issue of re opening of the college without authorization is unfounded, stressing that the General Nursing Council Examination is nationwide and being supervised by NMCN and communication being made to this effect.
” The final Nursing qualifying examination is an Examination for schools of Nursing, Colleges of Nursing and Departments of Nursing in Nigeria supervised by NMCN and the Provost only responded to directives from NMCN Headquarters in Abuja and communicated same to the Commissioner for Education,Prof. BTO Ikegwuoha, arguing that it will be a huge disaster if the students of the Institution fail to participate in the Nationwide Examination.
Investigations revealed that last week before the entire student Nurses and staff of the College, a student of the Institution openly commended Imo State Government and the College Management for having the interest of poor students at heart, pointing out that Imo State College of Nursing Sciences Orlu is the cheapest College of Nursing in Nigeria and challenged anyone who doubts it to do a cross check .