August 27, 2009
RMIT nursing students who have commenced studies at the Fulham campus of East Gippsland Institute of TAFE have been granted a reprieve and will now be able to complete their studies at Fulham.
The Nationals Member for Gippsland Darren Chester has welcomed RMIT’s decision to honour its commitment to students who had already commenced their studies, announcing it will ‘teach-out’ the existing courses.
Mr Chester had lobbied RMIT directly and called on the Federal Minister for Health to intervene to protect the 40 students who are mid way through their course. Mr Chester escalated the issue, when he raised it in Federal Parliament last week, highlighting the students’ frustration and anger at plans to change their commitment mid-course.
“This is welcome news for the students who are in their first and second year of studies and who have made their own sacrifices to fulfil their ambitions of becoming a nurse,” Mr Chester said.
“Unfortunately, however, it is only a short-term reprieve.
“It assists current nursing students but does not address the long-term issue of training more Gippsland students in medical professions such as nursing.
“We need to do more to make sure students can access education opportunities in Sale and I will keep working with the state and federal governments to secure future nursing courses in the Sale district.”
Mr Chester said RMIT’s decision to take no new nursing students from next year was a further blow to the vital need to retain health professionals in regional communities.
“I noted last week there was letter to the editor in the local newspaper from a young mother who could not get her daughter in to see a GP in either Sale or Maffra,” Mr Chester said.
“The lack of qualified health professionals is huge concern for local families and we need to do more as a community to offer opportunities for students with ties to our local community to train in nursing and other medical professions.”