Nursing Council Ends Policy Eliminating Students After Three Exam Failures

|By Chinwendu Nwani

The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) has scrapped its decades-old rule that forced student nurses out of training after three failed attempts at the professional examinations.

In a circular dated September 1, 2025, and signed by Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Ndagi Alhassan, the Council said candidates who fail any part of the professional exam will now be allowed to retake only the failed section until they pass.

The reform, which takes effect this month, was communicated to state commissioners of health, teaching hospital directors, university vice chancellors, nursing school heads, and professional associations under the title: “Nursing Education Reforms: Elimination of Students After Three Professional Examination Attempts.”

According to the Council, the policy shift aligns nursing education in Nigeria with global best practices by replacing an elimination-focused system with a supportive, student-centered approach.

“Our mission to promote and maintain excellence in nursing and midwifery education and practice calls for a more inclusive academic environment devoted to building resilience and lifelong learning,” the statement said.

The Council also directed institutions to strengthen support for struggling students while enforcing an 80 percent minimum attendance for both lectures and clinical sessions as a condition for re-sits. It added that each failed re-sit attempt would be recorded against the training institution.

NMCN stressed that the decision was necessary to promote fairness, boost professional competence, and address longstanding criticisms of the previous elimination policy.