No fewer than 300 dental students of the University of Calabar (UNICAL) have been plunged into a state of despair following the loss of accreditation of their programme, leaving their academic future and professional careers hanging in the balance after seven grueling years of study.
The situation has sparked outrage and emotional reactions on social media, as the affected students expressed frustration and helplessness.
In a video on social media, a student, flanked by hundreds of his colleagues, voiced the collective pain and disillusionment of the students.
“Seven years ago the University of Calabar admitted my colleagues into this fine institution with the hope that after a certain period of time they would graduate and practice without any issues,” he said.
“Fast forward to now, they are telling them that after spending seven years in the school, that may not happen,” he continued, his voice heavy with disbelief.
He added, “These are my friends. I have had classes with these people. I have played with these people. I have laughed with these people.
“You are now trying to tell me that after seven years, you expect them to uproot their lives after passing exams, after reading, after spending countless nights trying to make their dreams work.
This comes as it was reported that the University’s Dentistry Department was caught up in a crisis due to over-admission, leading to the withdrawal of its accreditation by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).
Following the withdrawal of the department’s accreditation, the university reportedly asked no fewer than 300 dental students, including final-year students, to withdraw or transfer to other schools, a decision that has sparked outrage and calls for intervention from various stakeholders.
It was reported that the affected students said they were recently issued letters summoning them for a meeting regarding what school authorities described as “non-regular” admissions.
According to them, the university invited the students to a meeting with faculty authorities which was scheduled for July 7.
But the students said that while the letter explicitly stated that they were being expelled, they (students) interpret it as a precursor to being dropped from their programme.
The loss of accreditation means that graduates of the programme may be unable to proceed with housemanship or professional licensing, effectively rendering their years of academic effort null and void.
Students and parents are now calling on the Federal Government, the National Universities Commission (NUC), and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) to intervene urgently and resolve the crisis.
There has been no official statement yet from the University of Calabar regarding the specific reasons for the programme’s loss of accreditation.
One of the affected students was quoted by The Nation as saying, “This is our fourth year in this programme.
“We have paid fees, done clinicals, passed courses, and now they’re telling us we shouldn’t have been admitted?
“We are not the ones who approved the admission quota. Why should we suffer for the institution’s mistake?”
Some of the students also reportedly alleged that staff members have warned them against speaking to the media.
“We were told not to talk about this, even among ourselves,” a student reportedly claimed.
“But we are tired of being quiet. We have families who’ve invested in us. We want answers.”
The unfolding situation raises broader questions about the oversight and management of specialised medical training programmes in Nigeria, and the long-term implications for aspiring professionals.
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