The Ministry of Education is being asked to fork out over $13 million in compensation to 40 nursing students whose programme was shut down.
Attorney for the nursing student, Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh, revealed that on March 14, 2022, the ministry’s Nursing Education Unit posted an ad inviting individuals to pursue a three-year programme that was supposed to start in May 2023. After the successful completion of the programme, the graduates were promised a three-year contract with one of the regional health authorities.
Thousands applied but only 40 persons were selected.
Ramadharsingh claimed the successful applicants were instructed to resign from their jobs since a stipend would be paid.
However, he said the students received an email last month stating they were to report to the School of Nursing at Palm’s Club on May 9, 2023, for 9 am.
On attendance, they were notified that the programme had been cancelled by the Minister for no reason and they would not be starting a general nursing programme on May 22, 2023.
Ramadharsingh said the $13 million figure represented what the students would have lost in the past year, the time during their study and future employment.
He said students had to purchase books and uniforms and some of them may have lost as much as $100,000 if they had to quit their jobs.
Ramadharsingh said no one from the ministry has reached out to the students.
A pre-action protocol letter was served to Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly on May 19 and Ramadharsingh said if the ministry does not respond, the matter will go to the High Court.