Department of Health implements bursaries plan at nursing college
We took the decision in 2016 that when we advertised in 2017 for the 2018 programme, we will start with the bursaries.
The provincial Department of Health says the introduction of school bursaries at Mpumalanga College of Nursing was a decision by the national department.
This follows after students stopped classes last week alleging that this was exploitation – they exited classrooms and stopped performing their daily duties.
MEC for health, Mr Gillion Mashego held a meeting with the students last week and they have now returned to class.
The bursary pays first-year students who were registered for 2018, a R3 000 stipend while previous intakes continue to receive at least R7 000.
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“Meetings were held with the students and the matter is been discussed in the chamber.
The students were previously informed about this decision of introducing bursaries. We took the decision in 2016 that when we advertised in 2017 for the 2018 programme, we will start with the bursaries.
The advert explained that they will not be receiving the same stipend as the previous students. They were also informed during induction and they signed an agreement letter,” said health spokesperson, Mr Dumisani Malamule.
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All the other provinces have already implemented the solution although Mpumalanga delayed in doing it.
The students say that they will protest again if they do not receive the answers they want.
“We did not reach an agreement, and the meeting has been postponed to Monday,” said one of the students.
