Trainee nurse disappears over fake O’ level certificate

MASVINGO- Authorities at Gutu Mission Hospital woke up to an empty bed at one of the hostels after a final year trainee nurse who got wind of an O’ Level Certificates verification process collected his belongings and sneaked out of the mission during the night

Sources said Persuade Gomiwa had four O’ Level passes instead of the minimum of five required for the nursing course. He allegedly entered the training programme using a fake certificate that had six subjects.

It is well known throughout the country that getting a place in a nursing school is now based based on a primary condition of paying US$1 000 bribe instead of academic passes or performance in interviews and this could be the reason why

recruiting authorities sometimes miss the issue of forged certificates.

Gutu Mission Hospital Station Superintendent, Reverend Taru Mugoni confirmed that there is a student who is not coming to class and investigations are underway.

He however, said it was still premature for him to comment on the issue of the suspected fake certificate as higher authorities were still to be briefed on the matter.

“It is not yet confirmed and there are verifications that are to be done by the Human Resources including at Provincial offices. The case is still at a premature stage because there are offices that are yet to be informed. What I can confirm is there is a student who did not return to the college and investigations are ongoing,” said Rev Mugoni.

Masvingo Provincial Medical Director (PMD) Amadeus Shamhu said the province has recorded a few cases of the use of forged certificates. He added that forging certificates is fraud and the student automatically discontinues the studies and faces arrest.

“There are very few cases of use of forged certificates. In such cases, the ministry conducts disciplinary investigations and the student automatically discontinues the studies and faces arrest,” said Shamhu.

Efforts to get a comment from Gomiwa were fruitless as calls to his phone were not going through. Sources said despite lacking O’ levels, Gomiwa was an above average student at the School of Nursing and never failed a course in his three years.

The nursing intakes at Gutu Mission comprise of an average class of 20 students.

Via Masvingo mirror