Hundreds of Health Promotion Officer candidates who wrote their final examinations in November 2024 are still awaiting their results, seven months later, due to delays in processing by the Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA).
The Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) confirmed that the results were only submitted on June 4, 2025—far beyond the mandated 21-day deadline after examinations. The delay has left students in limbo, unable to apply for jobs in clinics, old age homes, and other healthcare facilities.
Students Express Anger and Despair
Affected candidates say the prolonged wait has jeopardized their career prospects. One frustrated student told reporters:
“Our college told us we would get results within three months, but now it’s been seven months. I can’t even apply for jobs. It feels like all my hard work has gone down the drain.”
Another student added: “We feel left in the dark, and it’s causing so much frustration and confusion. HWSETA and QCTO need to prioritize us—we’ve done our part.”
Blame Game Between Institutions
QCTO CEO Vijay Naidu stated that HWSETA consistently fails to submit examination data on time, delaying the issuance of certificates. Meanwhile, HWSETA has shifted blame to training colleges, accusing them of registering “walk-in” students who were not previously approved by QCTO.
However, training colleges have refuted this claim, stating that the delays occur almost annually due to systemic inefficiencies. A college representative said:
“Students and parents have lost confidence in us because they don’t understand that this is beyond our control. Both QCTO and HWSETA lack a compatible system to transfer data accurately. Imagine manually capturing over 2,000 learners on a spreadsheet—mistakes are inevitable.”
Calls for Urgent Resolution
With no clear resolution in sight, students and training institutions are demanding immediate action to prevent future delays. Efforts to get an official response from HWSETA were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
As the standoff continues, affected candidates remain in career limbo, questioning whether their qualifications will ever be recognized.
