Dozens of dental students from the University of Jos (UNIJOS) on Wednesday barricaded the institution’s main gate at its Permanent Site to protest the non-accreditation of their programme — a setback that has trapped some in school for over ten years without graduation.
Chanting solidarity songs and holding placards with messages such as “Save us from unending depression,” “Our future is on hold,” “Accredit us now,” and “We are tired of UNIJOS,” the students demanded immediate intervention from the school management and relevant authorities.
“We Have Been Stagnating for Ten Years”
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, the President of the Jos University Dental Students Association, Mr. Johnson Titus, described the situation as heartbreaking.
“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.”
He called on the management to act swiftly to end their prolonged ordeal.
“The students are calling on the university management and relevant authorities to come forth and address their issues, which include getting a date for accreditation and resolving the curriculum problems.”
Students Fault University’s Transparency
Titus accused the institution of admitting students into an unaccredited programme without disclosure.
“The University of Jos did not inform anyone that there is no accreditation for the dental courses, for which they admitted us. If we had known, we probably wouldn’t have applied for the course.
And also, if the university knew that there is no accreditation, why would they put Dentistry on their website for students to apply for admission? We feel the university is still at fault for the situation we have found ourselves.”
Another student, Nwike Pius, also expressed disappointment over the management’s inconsistent communication.
“The school has not been sincere with us because we hear a different story from them, and when we confirm, we hear a different story from the Council.”
He added that several attempts to meet with the Vice-Chancellor had been ignored, leaving the students feeling abandoned and hopeless.
Management Says Steps Are in Progress
Efforts to reach the Dean of Student Affairs, Prof. Chris Piwuna, were unsuccessful. However, a source close to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Tanko Ishaya, who spoke anonymously, said the university was already working to resolve the issue.
“I don’t know why the students chose this day to protest because the university management is doing something to address their issue. I know their matter has lingered, but as I’m talking with you, the university has opened bidding for N800m capital projects, including the purchase of their equipment.
The bid was opened just last week. On the issue of accreditation, just last week, the Provost and senior people in the faculty met with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria to get a date for the accreditation of their programme. What else do they want?”
Despite these assurances, the protesting students have vowed not to vacate the university gate until tangible progress is made.
A National Dental Education Crisis
The UNIJOS protest mirrors deeper troubles within Nigeria’s dental education system. Earlier this year, the University of Calabar (UNICAL) came under scrutiny after the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) sanctioned it for exceeding its approved admission quota for dental students. Though that case did not involve accreditation, it highlighted the same underlying weaknesses — poor infrastructure, limited facilities, and weak regulatory compliance.
Nigeria’s crisis in dental education is particularly alarming given its low dentist-to-population ratio.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the ideal ratio is one dentist to 5,000 people. However, in Nigeria, there is only one dentist for every 48,000 citizens — a massive shortfall that directly affects oral health nationwide.
Experts warn that unless accreditation lapses like UNIJOS’s are swiftly resolved, the shortage will worsen, further straining Nigeria’s already fragile healthcare system.
The Way Forward
Stakeholders are calling for urgent government and regulatory intervention. Analysts urge the UNIJOS management to fast-track the accreditation process, equip the dental school, and communicate transparently with students.
They also insist that universities must stop admitting students into unaccredited programmes and that regulators must enforce stricter oversight to prevent future crises.
For now, the UNIJOS dental students’ message remains clear — after ten years of waiting, their dreams, futures, and mental health are on hold.