By Atoyebi Nike
Dozens of dental students at the University of Jos staged a protest on Wednesday over the non-accreditation of their programme, which they say has left some of them in school for more than ten years without graduating. The students blocked the university’s permanent site gate, carrying placards that read “Save us from unending depression” and “Accredit us now.”
President of the Jos University Dental Students Association, Johnson Titus, said the students have been stranded for years due to the institution’s failure to secure accreditation. He accused the university of admitting students despite knowing the programme was not accredited.
“If the university knew there was no accreditation, why advertise the course on its website?” Titus asked, saying many students would not have applied had they been informed.
Another student, Nwike Pius, said repeated attempts to meet the Vice Chancellor had been ignored and accused the school of giving contradictory information.
While Dean of Student Affairs Prof. Chris Piwuna was not available for comment, a source close to the Vice Chancellor said management was already working to resolve the issue. The source said the university recently opened bidding for N800m worth of equipment for the dental programme and that senior officials met with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria last week to secure a date for accreditation.
The students, however, say they will continue to occupy the university gate until concrete action is taken.
