Nigeria’s dental students at the University of Jos are calling for urgent government action over a decade-long delay in their academic programme, warning that prolonged accreditation setbacks are threatening their careers and mental well-being.
The Jos University Dental Students’ Association (JUDENSA) made the appeal during a press conference at the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) secretariat in Jos. President Johnson Bisani said students have endured ten years of frustration and emotional trauma due to the University of Jos’s inability to secure full accreditation for its Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) programme.
The programme, which started in 2015 as a six-year course, has yet to see any student graduate or sit for professional examinations, leaving many students psychologically drained and uncertain about their future.
Bisani emphasised the critical role of the Faculty of Dentistry, the only dental school in North Central Nigeria, in addressing the region’s poor dentist-to-patient ratio, currently 1:54,000 compared with the World Health Organization’s recommended 1:5,000.
“What began as a beacon of hope has turned into a nightmare of stagnation and unfulfilled dreams,” he lamented.
He recalled that a peaceful student protest on April 25, 2024, drew national attention and prompted the intervention of Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, which resulted in the granting of preclinical accreditation in June 2024.
However, more than a year later, clinical accreditation remains pending, contrary to earlier assurances from the university management. Bisani described the repeated promises without tangible progress as “emotionally degrading and unjust.”
The JUDENSA President appealed to the National Assembly, Ministers of Education and Health, the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), and other relevant authorities to implement a clear plan and timeline for accreditation, clinical examinations, and student induction.
He warned that continued neglect could exacerbate Nigeria’s healthcare brain drain and erode confidence in the country’s academic system, urging stakeholders not to let the aspirations of dental students fade.
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