Edmonton nursing students sue private college

CDI College instructors held classes without lesson plans, textbooks

Image | li-cdi-sekeramayi_1

Caption: Former CDI College nursing student Ennet Sekeramayi said students raced wheelchairs and watched Netflix videos instead of receiving formal instruction during class time. (CBC)

Some Edmonton nursing students are taking their school to court to get their tuition fees back.
The students say instructors in the Licensed Practical Nursing program at CDI College often arrived with no lesson plans or textbooks leaving students to watch movies, learn the human anatomy from colouring books and playing games.

Image | si-cdi-college_1

Caption: The CDI nursing program was ordered to make improvements. (CBC)

"In the lab we would do wheelchair racing," said Ennet Sekeramayi who dropped out in February. "We went to school for two weeks and we're watching Netflix, just videos."
Sekeramayi said she has nothing to show for her time at the private college on Saddleback Road in south Edmonton, except a bill of $30,000.
"I could have made money," she said "Now I'm so behind in bills and I didn't even get the education that I went there for in the beginning."
"It's very depressing. It just breaks my heart. Every day I have to fight with myself to move on."
None of the allegations in the lawsuit have been proven in court.
In December 2012, the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta (CLPNA) suspended the permits of a number of CDI graduates.
An investigation concluded the program did not meet education standards for basic practical nursing education and the CLPNA withdrew approval for new enrolment in the program.
The CLPNA, which regulates the 10,000 LPNs in the province, intends to terminate approval for the program altogether on April 30, 2014.
Until then, the CLPNA said improvements to the program have been made and it will visit the school periodically to make sure it continues to meet eduational standards.
CDI would not comment on the lawsuit.