In a direct response to a chronic national nursing shortage, the Government will roll out a new subsidy programme for nursing students at the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College starting in the upcoming academic year.
The initiative, administered through the Department of Education, is designed to ease the financial strain on families and encourage more young people to enter and remain in the critical profession.
With tuition for the four-year programme reaching as high as EC$40,000, Education Minister Shawn Edward said the subsidies are expected to make a meaningful difference for both students and the wider health sector.
Under the new system, students will receive subsidies at every stage of their training, beginning with EC$2,500 in both the first and second years, increasing to EC$5,000 in the third year, and culminating with EC$10,000 in the final year, an amount that covers the full cost of tuition.
Edward noted that the measure not only ensures students can complete their studies but also guarantees a pipeline of graduates entering Saint Lucia’s healthcare system. “We recognise the burden nursing students and their parents carry, and we also recognise the urgency of producing more nurses,” he said. “This programme speaks to both.”
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