The Department of Health Sciences at the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College (SALCC), hosted a commissioning ceremony last week to acknowledge the new facilities that will assist in delivering the department’s mandate.

The CAMDU building is presently being reconfigured for delivery of the soon-to-be-introduced Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and other programs. The ceremony served as a public declaration that the college has entered the final process in preparation for the delivery of the new degree, pending approval from the General Nursing Council of Saint Lucia.

The SALCC Department of Health Sciences was previously charged with the responsibility of upgrading from an Associate Degree to a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing. Developing the curriculum was an important step, but having adequate facilities were just as important, as over the past three years the department has been housed in different locations—the George Charles Secondary School, the main Sir Arthur Lewis Community College building, and now a new home at what was once the CAMDU building.

For the Vice Principal of the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College, Dr. Merle St. Clair-Auguste, Wednesday’s commissioning ceremony represents the college’s commitment to not only provide a new home for the department, but also to offer the best quality of instruction for its students.

Education Minister, Hon Dr. Gale Rigobert, said the college has been on a path of evolution and transformation for years. The commissioning of the building, she said, represents the dedication of both the faculty and the Board of the Governors.

The Board of Governors at the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College stands behind the college in offering this new level of qualification. The Coordinator of the Department of Health Sciences said the commissioning of the building marks the beginning of a series of activities aimed at achieving the standards set by CARICOM for nursing education.

The Commissioning Ceremony took place on Wednesday, May 8, 2019 on the CAMDU Grounds at Morne Fortune.