Dozens of dental students at the University of Jos (UNIJOS) on Wednesday staged a protest over the non-accreditation of their programme, which they say has kept many of them in school for more than a decade without graduating.
The students blocked the gate of the university’s permanent site, singing solidarity songs and carrying placards reading: “Save us from unending depression,” “Our future is on hold,” “Accredit us now,” and “We are tired of UNIJOS.”
Johnson Titus, president of the Jos University Dental Students Association, told reporters the students want the university and relevant authorities to fix a date for accreditation and resolve curriculum problems.
“What you see behind me is the frustration of dental students who have been in the university for the past ten years without graduating,” he said. “We have been stagnating because of the non-accreditation of our programme.”
Titus accused the university of admitting students into a programme that lacked accreditation, saying candidates were not informed of the status at entry.
In a related case, graduates of the Medical Laboratory Sciences programme at Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) say they have been unable to proceed with professional induction for nearly four years.
The graduates – including those who passed professional examinations in 2022 and later batches – say they have completed academic requirements and paid induction fees, but the university has not finalised arrangements with the Medical Laboratory Sciences Council to set an induction date.
The backlog affects graduates’ ability to begin internships and to participate in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). University delays could render some graduates over the age limit for NYSC, potentially limiting employment opportunities that impose age caps.
When contacted, ESUT’s Head of Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Dr. Miriam Aniagolu, said the university had approved students’ results and was seeking a date from the Council.
“We are doing our best. The Senate has approved their results; it is remaining for us to get a date from the Council for their induction,” she said, repeating assurances she has given since her appointment over a year ago.
Attempts to obtain comment from ESUT Vice-Chancellor Prof. Aloysius-Michaels Okolie and Governing Council Chairman Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa were unsuccessful.
The ESUT student union president declined to speak, citing fear of intimidation.
Both incidents highlight ongoing concerns about professional accreditation and administrative delays at Nigerian universities. Students and graduates are urging university managements and accrediting bodies to act swiftly to end the uncertainty and allow affected cohorts to complete mandatory professional steps and enter the workforce.
