IN LIGHT of recent reports that five New York-based nursing schools have been accused of ripping off hundreds of Caribbean students to the tune of US$6 million, and granting them bogus certification, the Ministry of Education in Jamaica is warning persons to be careful how they choose overseas education programmes.
Audrey Sewell, permanent secretary in the ministry, said students must check the credibility of institutions before they start the application process.
"Persons should be very diligent. They should not just jump and pay their monies to these institutions and their local intermediaries. They should seek help and have the programme checked to ensure that the person is legitimate and that the programmes are properly accredited," she advised.
Sewell argued that there are a number of institutions in the island that persons can use to make their checks, so as to avoid being robbed.
Check the Internet
"Information is so accessible now as they can check the Internet, they can also check through the US Embassy, the University Council of Jamaica, the ministries of education, labour or foreign affairs and foreign trade.
"We have had many instances where persons start courses and they pay their monies and, at the end of the programme, they realise that it is not legitimate, and it creates a problem," she said.
According to CMC reports earlier this week, which quoted New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, some Caribbean students studied for two years and paid up to US$20,000 to receive training they thought would allow them to take the New York State Nursing Board Exam.
Schneiderman said the schools in Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island preyed mostly on Caribbean immigrants and even coordinated with a nursing programme in Jamaica to provide fraudulent documents.
"These conspirators intentionally targeted people in pursuit of new opportunities, lining their pockets with others' hard-earned money," said Schneiderman.
Eleven people who owned or operated the schools were indicted on charges of theft and scheming to defraud. The indictment accuses them of operating a fraudulent nursing school and college scheme.
According to the reports, the attorney general said eight people linked to the schools were arrested in early-morning raids last Thursday, while police sought three others.
