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Dental students of the University of Jos (UNIJOS) have expressed deep frustration over the institution’s failure to secure accreditation for its Dentistry Department, a situation they say has left them stranded and uncertain about their academic future.
The students, some of whom have spent over eight years in the program without graduation, described their condition as “academic imprisonment,” lamenting that despite years of study, they are yet to qualify for certification or professional practice due to the department’s unaccredited status.
Their outcry has reignited public concern about the state of professional education in Nigeria and the impact of accreditation lapses on students’ careers and mental well-being.
Years of Waiting Without Hope
The Dentistry Department at the University of Jos was established to train competent dental professionals and expand access to oral health education in northern Nigeria. However, despite its lofty goals, the department has struggled to obtain full accreditation from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) the regulatory body responsible for licensing medical and dental training institutions.
According to the aggrieved students, their counterparts in other accredited universities have long graduated, undergone housemanship, and even begun practicing, while they remain trapped in academic uncertainty.
A student who spoke under anonymity said:
“We have been in this program for years without any clear path to graduation. We have completed all our coursework, clinical training, and examinations, but because our department is not accredited, we can’t graduate or sit for the MDCN licensing exam. We feel forgotten.”
Another student, now in her eighth year of study, described the situation as emotionally draining and financially burdensome.
“We have become endless students. Every year, we pay school fees and attend classes, but we don’t know when we will finish. It’s affecting our mental health and our parents are getting tired.”
Accreditation and Its Importance
Accreditation is a vital process that ensures that academic programs meet national and international standards in curriculum, infrastructure, staffing, and clinical exposure. Without accreditation from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, graduates from any dental school cannot be recognized as professionals, meaning they cannot legally practice dentistry in Nigeria.
Experts say the lack of accreditation at the University of Jos is a major blow to the institution’s reputation and to the dreams of hundreds of students who have dedicated years of study to the program.
An education analyst, Dr. Adewale Obafemi, noted that accreditation issues in medical and dental programs are often linked to inadequate facilities, shortage of qualified lecturers, and insufficient teaching hospitals.
“Accreditation is not just a formality. It ensures that students get the required training to protect public health. If a program lacks the facilities or personnel to train competent professionals, the MDCN will not approve it,” he explained.
University Authorities and MDCN Silent on the Matter
Efforts to obtain official comments from the University of Jos management have reportedly yielded little progress. While the university has in the past acknowledged efforts to secure full accreditation, there has been no clear timeline or official communication to the affected students.
Some reports suggest that MDCN inspection teams have visited the university multiple times and identified areas that require urgent improvement including laboratory equipment, clinical infrastructure, and staffing gaps.
However, the slow pace of response from the university administration has kept the accreditation process in limbo. This continued uncertainty has left the students anxious, with many describing themselves as victims of administrative neglect.
Students Call for Government and Public Intervention
The stranded dental students are now calling on the federal government, the National Universities Commission (NUC), and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria to intervene in the crisis.
According to them, the issue goes beyond institutional failure — it represents a systemic disregard for students’ welfare and professional growth.
“We are appealing to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government, the Minister of Education, and the MDCN to look into our situation urgently. We have spent most of our youth in this school with no end in sight,” one of the students pleaded.
They also urged the university management to provide transparent updates on the accreditation process rather than keeping students in the dark.
Public Reactions and Widespread Concern
The plight of the UNIJOS dental students has sparked reactions from parents, education stakeholders, and alumni who believe the situation reflects deeper challenges within Nigeria’s higher education system.
Many have criticized the recurring issue of unaccredited programs across several universities, arguing that students should not bear the consequences of institutional inefficiency.
A parent of one of the affected students said:
“We have spent millions of naira on tuition and living expenses for years, but there’s no result to show. The government and the university owe these children an explanation.”
The Nigerian Association of Dental Students (NADS) has also expressed solidarity with their UNIJOS counterparts, calling for urgent reforms in how accreditation is handled in tertiary institutions offering health-related courses.
The Broader Implication for Nigeria’s Health Sector
Nigeria’s health system already suffers from an acute shortage of dental professionals. According to medical reports, the country has fewer than 4,000 licensed dentists serving a population of over 200 million a ratio far below the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation.
Experts warn that unresolved accreditation issues, such as those at the University of Jos, could worsen the manpower deficit in the country’s dental health sector.
If left unresolved, hundreds of students may abandon the profession entirely or seek opportunities abroad, contributing to the ongoing “brain drain” crisis in Nigeria’s healthcare system.
The Way Forward
To resolve the crisis, stakeholders have recommended a joint task force involving the University of Jos management, the MDCN, and the Federal Ministry of Education to fast-track the accreditation process.
Adequate funding should also be provided to upgrade the department’s infrastructure, recruit qualified lecturers, and improve teaching facilities to meet regulatory standards.
Transparency and communication between the university and students are equally critical. Students deserve to know the progress of accreditation efforts and realistic timelines for completion.
Conclusion
The ongoing struggle of University of Jos dental students underscores the urgent need for accountability and reform in Nigeria’s higher education sector.
For years, these students have invested time, energy, and money pursuing a dream that now hangs in the balance due to bureaucratic delays. Their story is not just about one department it reflects a national challenge of governance and institutional neglect.
As the affected students continue to plead for intervention, one message remains clear: education should never be a journey without an end. It is time for the University of Jos and relevant authorities to act decisively, restore hope, and secure accreditation so that these students can finally step into the future they have worked so hard for.
