Students from the Faculty of Dental Science at the University of Jos took to the university’s permanent site at the Naraguta campus on Monday to protest the prolonged accreditation delay of their programs by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.
The students, holding placards with messages such as “Unijos negligent about students’ future,” “We deserve better, merge Unijos Dental students,” and “Depression may kill us, save us please,” expressed their frustration over the lack of lecturers and the inability to graduate despite paying tuition fees.
The students demanded that the university merge dental students with medical students (MBBS) to prevent further disruptions to their studies due to the accreditation delay. They claimed that the shortage of required manpower in the faculty was the reason for the delayed accreditation, despite promises from the university management.
The first set of dental students has been in the university for nine years due to strikes, but they are still in their sixth year and have not taken any dental courses. The students are seeking a solution to the issue, which they believe can be addressed through a meeting with university management, student leaders, the first set of the dental college, and the college’s management.
Vice Chancellor Ishayo Tanko acknowledged the students’ concerns and apologized for the delay in accreditation. He revealed that the management was making frequent trips to Abuja to secure approval for more lecturers but had not received it yet.
Tanko assured the students that a meeting would be scheduled with student leaders, the first set of the dental college, and the college’s management to find a way forward. He emphasized that the protest would not resolve the issue and that the management was already addressing the challenges faced by dental students.
