The dentistry students at the University of Calabar (UNICAL) have cried out after the alleged move by the management of the institution to vacate the premises due to unauthorised admission.
In a now-trending video, one of the UNICAL students, who
spoke on behalf of his colleagues, expressed dismay over the matter.
He claimed that his colleagues, with whom he has attended
classes, are being asked to go home after spending seven years in the school.
“Seven years ago, the University of Calabar admitted my colleagues into this fine institution in the hopes that after a certain period of time, they would graduate without any issues,” the unnamed student dressed in a laboratory coat said.
“Fast forward to now, they are telling them that after
spending seven years in this school, that may not happen.
“These are my friends. I have laughed and played with these
people. So, you are trying to tell them that they should uproot their lives
after passing their exams, spending countless times trying to make this dream
work.”
There were also reports that the accreditation of the
department of dentistry had expired.
Speaking on the development on Tuesday, Effiong Uyo, the
spokesperson of UNICAL, said university management has addressed the
circumstances that led to the issue.
Uyo said the management is collaborating with the Medical
and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) to increase its quota from 10 students per
session to a substantial number.
The PRO admitted that there was a disagreement after the
school tried to increase its quota without the appropriate authorisation.
Florence Obi, vice-chancellor of UNICAL, stated that the
matter is unrelated to the accreditation status, which, according to her,
remains valid until 2027.
She stated that the school had failed to adhere to the 10
students per admission quota since the programme’s inception in the 2013/2014
academic session.
The VC said the university’s management, including the
provost of the College of Medical Sciences and the dean of dentistry recently
met with the leadership of the MDCN in Abuja over the issue.
She added that it was agreed at the meeting that some
students would be transferred to other accredited institutions, while 31
graduates awaiting induction and 28 who are due for resit examinations will
wait until the re-verification process is completed.
The VC said the MDCN advised the university in 2022 to halt
further admissions, allowing the council to work on the modalities for
graduating existing students.
She stated that the university has fully complied with this
directive, with current students now enrolled in 400, 500, and 600 levels.
“The dentistry programme was granted pre-clinical
accreditation in November 2019 and full clinical accreditation in December
2022,” the VC said.
“The next accreditation is due in 2027, so the current
situation is not about loss of accreditation but about excess admissions
carried out over the years.
“The dentistry programme at UNICAL has not lost its
accreditation. No student has been abandoned, and those awaiting induction are
not part of the transfer arrangements. We remain committed to protecting the
future of our students.”
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