Student nurses misled
Published:Monday | May 16, 2011 | 12:00 AM
- Pre-University School says error was made in advertising programme as sanctioned by Canadian gov't
Tyrone Reid, Enterprise Reporter
The Pre-University School might be in trouble with the government of Canada and Jamaica's Ministry of Labour and Social Security for erroneously advertising that the Canadian government sanctioned its practical nursing programme.
An August 2008 brochure, issued by the privately operated school as part of a promotional kit used to lure prospective students into the programme, contains questions and answers to frequently asked questions about the now controversial programme that promises jobs in Canada after successful completion of the course.
The front page of the document claimed that the programme was being offered "in association with the governments of Jamaica and Canada through the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and Okanagan College".
Alvin McIntosh, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, told The Gleaner that the ministry would seek audience with the principal of the Pre-University School, which has four campuses, "because this thing is not accurately stating the relationship".
The permanent secretary also said that the claim was misleading. "I wouldn't treat it as a memorandum of understanding between the governments of Jamaica and Canada.
"It is with certain institutions in Canada and institutions in Jamaica facilitated by the Ministry of Labour," said McIntosh.
The Okanagan College is no longer associated with the programme offered by Pre-University.
no official backing
Professor Michael Patterson, spokesperson, Marmicmon Integrated Marketing and Communications, told The Gleaner that the programme does not have the official backing of the federal government in Canada.
"The memoranda of understanding signed by the Ministry of Labour are not signed with the federal government but with provincial publicly funded colleges," he said.
Marmicmon is the entity responsible for soliciting potential employers in Canada, who will offer jobs to the students who successfully complete the practical nurse training programmes.
Patterson explained that while the provincial government in Canada controls the colleges, he could not say the Canadian state sanctioned the practical nursing programmes offered by Pre-University. "I can't say that because there is nothing on paper that says that the government of Canada has committed itself to this programme."
When contacted, Dr Ronald Robinson, executive director of the Pre-University School and former state minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told The Gleaner that the claim made in the 2008 document was "obviously miscommunication".
"That was misinformation (and) that ad was pulled six months after," explained Robinson while pointing out that he was not executive director at the time it was distributed.
He also said the employee who was responsible for the error is no longer working with Pre-University.