More than 300 students from the Faculty of Dentistry and Dental Surgery at the University of Calabar (UNICAL) are at risk of being removed from the programme due to an alleged admission crisis.
According to affected students, some of whom are already in their fourth and fifth years, the issue stems from claims that the university admitted more students than approved by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).
The students were recently issued letters inviting them to a meeting described as relating to “non-regular” admissions. While the memo stopped short of mentioning expulsion, many believe it signals a possible end to their academic journey at the institution.
One of the students, sharing his experience on X (formerly Twitter), wrote:
“I’m a 5th year dental student. I’ve written 3MB exams, passed all. Now in pre-clinical dentistry, hoping to graduate in less than 2 years, only to now hear we have lost accreditation because we don’t have the facilities… They kept promising that facilities would come before we graduate… We are now told to take transfers to other schools, which won’t solve the issue.” — @SteveOsh2
Another student, @xavage1919, wrote:
“I am a student of 5B class… I’ve given my all to make sure I pass my exams… only to be told my future has been shattered by my university, which is supposed to protect my interests… This is heartbreaking.”
Social media has since been flooded with reactions, with many alleging that this isn’t the first time such a situation has happened at UNICAL.
“Same thing they did to engineering and pharmacy students four years ago and mass communication students three years ago. UNICAL does this every year, admits too many students, then pushes them into departments they didn’t choose or drops them entirely,” another user, @Jumblessing, claimed.
Students say they have paid fees, completed clinicals, and passed exams—yet they are now being told they were admitted irregularly.
“We are not the ones who approved the quota. Why are we being punished for the school’s mistake?” one student said anonymously.
Some students also claim they were warned not to speak to the media about the issue.
“We were told not to talk about this, even among ourselves,” said another, “but we’re tired of being quiet. Our families have invested so much in us. We need answers.”
As of the time of this report, neither the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Florence Obi, nor the university’s Public Relations Officer had responded to calls or messages for comment.
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