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Final-year dentistry students at the University of Calabar (UNICAL) are facing a devastating blow to their academic and professional futures after their department was reportedly banned from graduating students by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).
The ban stems from the university’s failure to address outstanding requirements set by the regulatory body.
The news comes as a shock to students who were on the cusp of completing their degrees, with some having spent nine years on a programme typically much shorter.
Students’ Anguish and Management’s Alleged Negligence
Speaking on News Central TV’s Jasiri on Friday, a UNICAL dentistry student named Promise expressed the profound distress felt by him and his peers. “It’s very disheartening,” he shared, “and then since the day we heard the news, I’ve not slept well; neither have my parents nor my colleagues nor my junior colleagues.”
Promise revealed that this issue is not new, stating, “This issue is not an issue that started today; it’s not an emergency; it’s been there right from our year four.”
He explained that students were consistently reassured that their programme’s quota of 10 students was “not our problem,” and that “once we pass, graduation is not a problem.”
The student highlighted the immense personal cost, noting, “It’s very bad that we have spent nine complete years in school; we started this school in the 2016-2017 session… and when we finally meet all the requirements, pass all our professional exams, and it’s time for us to graduate and then move on with our lives, we were told we couldn’t graduate.”
The disheartening reality is compounded by the fact that their medical counterparts are preparing for induction ceremonies this coming Monday, July 21, while the dentistry students are left “walking about, going to the streets, you know, begging people to help us.”
Controversial Advice from Leadership
Host Omotunde Adebowale-David addressed reports of a contentious meeting between students, parents, and university leadership, where disheartening statements were allegedly made. When asked about comments like “go and learn a trade” and suggestions that some students were expected to fail, Promise confirmed the painful reality of the encounter.
He found it ironic that the vice chancellor and provost have since denied making such statements.
Promise recounted that students were told, “There is no need to stay around the school or move around the school; we have to go home, be useful to ourselves, be useful to our parents, make a trade, and utilise our schemes.” This advice, seemingly dismissive of their years of academic dedication, has only added to the students’ despair.
The situation has sparked widespread concern, with many questioning how a department could continue to enrol students for years without addressing the fundamental accreditation issues that now prevent their graduation.
