Students of the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Calabar (UNICAL) have raised alarm over a decision by the university authorities to direct them to seek transfers to other dental schools across the country, citing the institution’s inability to meet regulatory requirements for increased graduation quotas.
The decision, communicated by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Florence Obi, and the Provost of the College of Medical Sciences, follows the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria’s (MDCN) refusal to expand the university’s existing graduation quota of 10 students per class due to inadequate facilities and infrastructure.
According to affected students, some of whom are already in their final year, the directive has sparked widespread distress, with reports of emotional breakdowns and mental health concerns. One student, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, said, “There is a class that finished their final professional exams in May, but because they are 31 in number, the school says they cannot graduate them.”
Records show that the faculty currently accommodates classes as large as 128 and 97 students, respectively — far beyond the approved quota. The university had continued to over-admit dental students over the years despite having no capacity to graduate them, students allege.
“This has led to a situation where many of us, some of whom have spent six to eight years in the program, are now being asked to abandon our academic track and begin transfer processes — a move that could delay or derail our careers,” a final-year student told Ondopress News.
Meanwhile, MDCN regulations stipulate that only schools with adequate facilities and staffing levels are permitted to graduate a specified number of dental students annually. Attempts by the university to get the MDCN to increase its quota from 10 to 40 reportedly failed due to non-compliance with these standards.
Efforts to reach the Vice Chancellor and the Provost for official comment proved unsuccessful as of press time.
Students are now calling on the Federal Ministry of Education, MDCN, National Universities Commission (NUC), and the Presidency to urgently intervene and ensure the affected students are not left in academic limbo.
“We are appealing for national attention. This is beyond a school issue — it’s a matter of life, mental health, and the future of Nigeria’s healthcare sector,” another student said.
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