Students of Dentistry at the University of Jos (UNIJOS) on Wednesday staged a peaceful protest over the non-accreditation of their courses, which they said has kept them in school for more than 10 years without graduation.
The students blocked the main gate of the university’s permanent site, carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Save us from unending depression,” “Our future is on hold,” and “Accredit us now.”
President of the Jos University Dental Students Association, Mr. Johnson Titus, who spoke with journalists, said the protest was to draw attention to the students’ prolonged academic stagnation.
“What you see today is the frustration of dental students who have been in the university for the past ten years without graduating due to the non-accreditation of our programme,” he said.
Titus appealed to the university management and relevant authorities to expedite action on the accreditation process and review the curriculum to meet regulatory standards.
He faulted the university for admitting students into the programme despite the absence of accreditation.
“The university did not inform any of us that the dental programme was not accredited. If we had known, many of us would have chosen other courses,” he said.
Another student, Mr. Nwike Pius, accused the university of insincerity, saying students had received conflicting information from both the school and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).
“The school has not been sincere with us. When we ask questions, they tell us one thing, and when we verify from the Council, we hear another story,” he said.
Efforts to reach the Dean of Student Affairs, Prof. Chris Piwuna, were unsuccessful.
However, a source close to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Tanko Ishaya, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the university was taking steps to resolve the issue.
According to the source, the management recently opened bidding for N800 million capital projects, including the purchase of equipment for the dental programme.
“The Provost and senior faculty members also met with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria last week to secure a date for accreditation,” the source said.
The students, however, vowed to continue their protest until concrete actions are taken to address their demands.