By Godfrey Chitalu
ZAMBIA’S health education system is in crisis, as highlighted by alarming statistics from the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
Failure rates in our health courses are disturbingly high. Only 54% of Registered Nursing (RN) students passed their exams, 54% passed Registered Midwifery (RM), and just 51% succeeded in Public Health Nursing (PHN).
Even more troubling, 91% of candidates failed the BSc licensing exams. There must be an element of insanity either with the students or the administrators!
These figures underscore serious flaws in our assessment methods. My past visits to China, the UK, South Africa, and the USA reveal a stark contrast.
There, health education relies on continuous practical assessments rather than single-day, high-stakes exams.
In the aforementioned countries, nursing and health programs feature regular practical assessments and simulations.
This method provides a more accurate measure of a student’s skills, reduces stress, and better prepares them for real-world challenges. How can students fail enmasse under such supportive evaluation systems?
In contrast, Zambia’s dependence on single-day exams, with inordinately weighted stakes, often accompanied by significant fees, appears to be failing our students.
This system may unintentionally create barriers to success rather than fostering development. The high failure rates raise concerns that these exams might not truly reflect student competence but rather exploit them financially.
The issues seen at ZIALE, where many students fail, should not extend to other disciplines, particularly health education. Congratulations to Joan Chirwa (FPI) for passing the ZIALE exams, a rare success amid the chaos.
We cannot allow ZIALE’s inefficiencies to infect our health courses.
It’s time for Zambia to adopt continuous practical assessments in health education.
Aligning with global best practices will support student learning and better prepare them for their careers.
Reforming our educational practices is crucial to improving outcomes and maintaining our reputation. With a 10-15% failure rate considered normal globally, our current rates suggest serious systemic insanity issues.
The author is a development commentator. Feedback: 0977466284 | 0963013760 Email: goddychitty@gmail.com Twitter: @goddychitty | Facebook
