Delayed results leave nurses jobless  Allexer Namundjembo Nearly a month after graduating from the University of Namibia, many nursing graduates are still waiting for their evaluation results from the Health Professional Council of Namibia (HPCNA).  The delay is preventing them from registering and applying for jobs in the healthcare sector. The evaluation test, held last month, is required for registration with the council. Without registration, graduates cannot apply for positions in either public or private healthcare facilities. Several graduates, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the delay has left them frustrated and financially strained.  “Job opportunities are being released in both the public and private sectors, but we are unable to apply as we are not yet registered with the council. This is due to the delayed release of our exam results,” one graduate said. Another graduate added that the lack of communication has made matters worse.  “It is also just depressing. Always waking up hoping that the results will be released but nothing. Even the communication from them is not good,” the source said. Some suspect the delay could be due to the board still marking the tests. “Maybe that is the main cause of the delay. But they need to communicate. We are almost approaching August, and we graduated in April. It is not easy for us, especially since we are not getting any financial assistance,” one graduate said. Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) member of Parliament Winnie Moongo called the delay unacceptable.  She said nursing graduates face unnecessary administrative setbacks after completing their studies. “Instead of contributing to the healthcare system and alleviating the current staffing shortages in our hospitals, these graduates are left at home with no clear guidance on when they will be allowed to take their exams or receive their results,” said Moongo. She urged the HPCNA to act quickly.  “The HPCNA must address this issue urgently and take steps to ensure it does not happen again in the future,” she said. Efforts to get a response from HPCNA CEO  Cornelius Weyulu were unsuccessful.  Questions sent to his office on Monday remained unanswered. The evaluation test was introduced to ensure that nursing graduates meet the required knowledge, skills, and competence for safe and effective practice.  It was implemented following concerns about unqualified lecturers, unapproved curricula, and increased student intakes affecting clinical training quality.

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IUM nursing graduates pledge to uphold ethics IUM nursing graduates pledge to uphold ethics NBC Online Fri, 05/23/2025 - 15:15

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Nursing graduates decry ‘high’ exam fees Allexer Namundjembo Nursing graduates are raising concerns over the high exam fees set by the Nursing Council, with many saying the N$2,000-plus cost is an unfair barrier to entering the workforce.  Former lawmaker Hidipo Hamata condemned the charges, calling them unjust and harmful to the country’s health system.  “How can unemployed graduates, most of whom still depend on their struggling parents, be expected to afford such exorbitant fees? It is completely wrong and unfair! These are the same nurses we desperately need in our hospitals and clinics, yet we are blocking them with expensive, unnecessary barriers,” Hamata said.  He added that the Nursing Council is placing young professionals in a financial chokehold, delaying their chance to serve the nation.  “This must STOP! We must stand with our nursing graduates and demand that the Nursing Council reduce these outrageous fees and simplify the registration process. Our young people deserve better,” he stressed. Timotheus Hangula, a recent nursing graduate, has proposed that the Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) cover the cost of the professional exam.  “Most students do not have money to pay for the exams,” Hangula said. “The painful thing is, if you fail the exam, you will be charged more again if you want to rewrite. It is really costly.”  Maria Namule, who graduated in 2023, said she has yet to write the exam due to a lack of funds.  “I was a self-funding student, and I was assisted by family members to pay off my education. Now, going to them again asking for exam fees didn’t work out. I’m only now planning to write after sourcing some money,” she explained.  Namule suggested that the Health Professions Council of Namibia (HPCNA) allow candidates to make partial payments, which could ease the burden on unemployed graduates. However, Dr. Cornelius Weyulu, Registrar of the Health Professions Councils of Namibia, explained that the fees are legally binding and set out in Government Notice No. 595 (Government Gazette No. 8220, dated 25 September 2023).  “These fees are set by law. The same law does not provide any mechanisms for waivers or financial support for applicants facing hardship,” he said.  The gazette outlines a wave of fee increases across health professions, continuing a trend that began in December 2020. Approved by the Ministry of Health and Social Services, these adjustments were made on the recommendation of respective councils to cover operational and regulatory costs.  Under General Notice 593, exam fees range from N$600 for interns to N$2 250 for practitioners. General Notice 594 reveals that re-examination fees for doctors or dentists now cost N$6,570. Registration for Namibian doctors stands at N$3 890, while foreign applicants must pay N$15,560. Hospital inspection fees have risen to N$22 620.

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