MP Jaleela Al Sayed has put forward a plan to create a College of Nursing and Midwifery to train more Bahrainis as demand for care rises with new hospitals and clinics across the public and private sectors. She said the aim is to build self-reliance in the nursing workforce and reduce dependence on expat labour.

The lawmaker noted there is no standalone government nursing college, and that nursing teaching is currently a department within the University of Bahrain’s College of Health Sciences, which limits intake and narrows scope for academic and hands-on growth. The proposal, according to Ms Al Sayed, fits the government push for applied teaching tied to the jobs market.

Bahrain Polytechnic is cited as the best home for the project because of its focus on applied sciences and practical courses linked to productive and service sectors. Under the plan, the new college would offer modern degree paths and strike training ties with medical providers in Bahrain and abroad. Students would take on intensive placements under joint academic and professional oversight, which, she said, would raise the skills of Bahraini staff and the standard of care for patients.

Goals

Al Sayed listed the goals as increasing the number of qualified Bahraini nurses, developing applied health teaching, lifting community care, and backing long-term development plans, adding that the project would strengthen Bahrain’s standing as a regional centre for applied health teaching. She said founding the college is a step to upgrade health teaching and meet national staffing needs, improving care quality and embedding the principle of sustainability in human development.