ASPIRING NURSES in the Caribbean now have an opportunity to earn a degree in that field without having to leave their countries. They can achieve this through a new distance education programme between the University of the West Indies (UWI) and Ryerson University of Toronto, Canada.

The partnership between the institutions was launched yesterday at the UWI's Mona campus. Officials from Ryerson, including its Jamaican chancellor, Dr. Raymond Chang, attended.

40-month schedule

Initially, the course will involve 67 nurses from Jamaica, Belize and St. Lucia, who will follow a 40-month schedule. By September, that schedule is expected to be reduced to 30 months.

The course is the brainchild of Dr. Chang, a Jamaican entrepreneur who has lived for many years in Toronto. Ryerson's distance education programme was designed by The Chang School, a continuing education facility at the university.

Dr. Chang, who has been involved with Ryerson for just over six years, will bear the cost of the project for the first three years. He estimates it will cost Can$750,000.

Governor-General Professor Kenneth Hall, who was guest speaker at the launch, said the distance education programme for nurses was conceived while he was principal at the Mona campus. Professor Hall recalled having meetings with Dr. Hermi Hewitt, head of the UWI School of Nursing, and administrators from Ryerson.

"Today we are celebrating the results of months of intense preparation to develop and present a high-quality, web-enhanced programme across the Caribbean to students who may not otherwise be able to complete a bachelor's degree in nursing," the Governor-General said.

President of the Nurses Association of Jamaica, Edith Allwood-Anderson welcomed the new initiative.