The House of Representatives has moved to resolve the crisis affecting dentistry students at the University Of Calabar, Cross River State.
This was sequel to a adoption of a motion on Urgent Public Importance on ” Urgent Need Resolve The Crisis Affecting Dentistry Students At The University Of Calabar”, moved by the House Minority Leader Mr. Kingsley Chinda and others.
The House urged the Federal Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), to conduct a thorough audit of the University of Calabar’s Faculty of Dentistry, including admission records, infrastructure, and staffing, with a view to ameliorating the plight of students of Dentistry in the University,
It also called on the University of Calabar to immediately halt all punitive measures affecting students, and work collaboratively with stakeholders to implement equitable remedial solutions such as, phased induction plans, catch-up modules or facilitated transfers to accredited faculties-in consultation with affected students.
The House also urged the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria to consider a temporary induction framework for eligible students, based on competency and clinical exposure, while structural issues are being resolved.
While leading the debate on the motion, one the sponsors of the motion,r. Ahmed Jaha, said that the House notes with grave concern the ongoing academic crisis affecting over 300 Dentistry students at the University of Calabar, Cross River State, following the refusal of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) to induct graduates from the university’s Faculty of Dentistry due to persistent over-admission beyond the Council’s approved annual quota of only ten (10) students as a result of provisional accreditation of the Faculty:
” Further Notes that this situation has resulted in a complete academic standstill, with the university authorities recently directing all students in the Faculty of Dentistry across all levels-to vacate campus indefinitely, pending a resolution of the impasse.
” Aware that the students, some in their final year of training, have invested significant time, resources, psychological and emotional energy toward earning their Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) degree, but now face devastating uncertainty, loss of career prospects, and psychological distress through no fault of theirs.
” Also Aware that the Vice Chancellor of the University has publicly acknowledged administrative failures in the over-enrolment process and has proposed non-consensual remedies including the redirection of students to other faculties or institutions, which many affected students strongly oppose.
” Disturbed that unless urgent and coordinated action is taken, the education and professionals aspirations of hundreds of young Nigerians will be unjustly truncated, potentially trigerving broader unrest, legal battles, and reputational damage to the Nigerian Higher Education education system,” the motion said.
The House there resolved to mandate the House Committees on Tertiary Education and Services, Health, and Youth Development to investigate the circumstances surrounding the over-enrolment, the role of university officials, and the actions taken thus far, and to report back within four [4] weeks for further legislative action.
Confidence Okwuchi