In a powerful demonstration of frustration and resilience, dozens of dental students from the University of Jos (UNIJOS) staged a protest on Wednesday, decrying over a decade of academic stagnation due to the non-accreditation of their Dentistry programme. The protest, held at the university’s permanent site, saw students block the main gate while chanting solidarity songs and holding placards with messages such as “Save us from unending depression”, “Our future is on hold”, and “Accredit us now.”
The students, some of whom have spent more than ten years in the programme without graduating, expressed deep emotional and financial exhaustion. Many revealed they were admitted into the university without being informed that the Dentistry programme lacked accreditation from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN). Despite paying tuition, attending lectures, and completing clinical postings, they have been unable to sit for professional examinations or receive their degrees.
Speaking on behalf of the students, Mr. Johnson Titus, President of the Jos University Dental Students Association (JUDENSA), described the situation as “a decade of dashed hopes.” He stated, “What you see behind me is the frustration of dental students who have been in the university for the past ten years without graduating. We have been stagnating because of the non-accreditation of our programme.”
The students also highlighted the broader implications of the crisis, noting that the North Central region of Nigeria has only 311 dentists serving a population of over 20 million. UNIJOS is the only institution in the region with a dental school, making the delay not just a personal tragedy but a public health concern.
In April 2024, a previous protest prompted the intervention of Plateau State Governor Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, which led to preclinical accreditation in June 2024. However, students say that progress has since stalled, and they are once again left in limbo.
The students are calling on the university administration, the MDCN, and relevant government bodies to take immediate action to fully accredit the programme, allow them to complete their studies, and prevent future cohorts from suffering similar setbacks.