Akwa Ibom Psychiatric Nursing School Shuts down Over Lack Of Infrastructure

By Dave Emma

Psychiatric School of Nursing Eket, Admin Block inhabited by rodents

The Akwa Ibom State School of Psychiatric Nursing located in Eket Local Government Area has been shut down after the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) de-accredited all the courses of the school.

A source in the school told this reporter in a phone chat yesterday. He maintained that after the NMCN carried out investigation last year and warned the school management that it was going to deactivate all the courses of the school if nothing was done in twelve months to renovate and equip the school. But after a year the body which is responsible for the regulation of school of nursing, psychiatric school and other allied health institutions in country launched another investigation in March this year and discovered that instead of improving, the learning environment of the school was further deteriorating. This informed it decision of deactivating all the causes which led to the closing down of the school in April this year

The principal of the school Mr. Asuquo Umoh confirmed the sinister development but added that the government was working round the clock to reverse the unfortunate circumstance.

“Well, it is true that the courses have been de-accredited but we’ve made the necessary presentation to the government for steps to be taken which could lead to the reinstatement of the courses. And the Akwa Ibom government is doing everything possible to reverse the anomaly.” Mr. Umoh said.

But a senior lecturer in school who preferred anonymity countered the principal’s claim. He stated that several overtures and notifications were earlier given to the government but they fail to act promptly.

” Both written representation and delegation have been made to the government to rescue and remedy the situation for long to forestall a total collapse of school but all entreaties fell on deaf ears. Even right now as I’m talking, the students have been sent home since early this year”
He Expressed concern that the current students who supposed to graduate this year would now have to spend two more years in the school.
“This place doesn’t depict any learning environment. There’s no library, no computer, all the classes suffer leakage during rainy days, even the hostels are not good for animals. The consequence now is that, the final year students may not even graduate in the next two years” the lecturer lamented.Psychiatric School of Nursing Classroom, Eket Partly Unroofed

Adede Victor William, an activist and one of the affected students expressed bitterness over the government insensitivity on the students’ plight.
“It is really unbelievable that since the warning was given last year by the NMCN, nothing was done by the government to prevent the de-accreditation of the the entire courses which prompted the closure of the school.” William lamented
The activist took his frustration to further to the social media even as he stated on his Facebook timeline: What kind of world are we now? AKBC, ATLANTIC FM, PLANET FM AND THE REST OF THEM ARE SO, SO BUSY DOING NOTHING! Busy carrying news that are irrelevant to the welfare of the public…But things that has to do with the future of others is a taboo to report. Imaging Schools of Nursing in Akwa Ibom State being shutdown by Nursing Council for several months now, yet no broadcasting cooperation commented on it”

When this reporter visited the school, it was already taken over by makeshift pentecostal churches with sounds of loud speakers reverberating in the school compound.Psychiatric School of Nursing Hostels with destroyed windows.

Psychiatric School of Nursing Library in Eket