UNICAL VC Orders Final-Year Dentistry Students to Withdraw After 6 Years in School Over MDCN Quota Limit

Calabar, Nigeria — Students of the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Calabar (UNICAL) are currently facing academic uncertainty and emotional distress following a directive by the university’s management advising them to transfer to other dental schools across the country.

TJ News Nigeria gathered that the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Florence Obi, and the Provost of the College of Medical Sciences, reportedly informed dental students that the university lacks the infrastructure and facilities required by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) to expand its graduation quota from 10 to the proposed 40 students per set.

This development has thrown hundreds of students into turmoil, with some in advanced levels of their program now left without a clear academic future.

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Over-Admission Against Approved Quota

According to concerned students, the Faculty of Dentistry at UNICAL has a long-standing MDCN-approved quota of only 10 graduates per year. Despite this limitation, the university has continued to admit far more students than it is authorized to graduate.

• One class currently has 128 students, another has 97 students.
• The final year class currently has 39 students, while the class ahead recently concluded their Part V BDS professional exams in May but have reportedly not been cleared for graduation due to the quota restriction.
• Some students claim they were never informed about the quota cap during their admission process or academic progression.

“This is not just mismanagement — it’s academic sabotage,” one final year student lamented. “How can they keep admitting students year after year without a clear path to graduation?”

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Calls for Accountability and Urgent Action

Several affected students are now calling for intervention from the Federal Ministry of Education, the MDCN, and the National Universities Commission (NUC) to investigate the situation and compel the university administration to take responsibility.

TJ News Nigeria learnt that the sudden instruction for students to “transfer to other accredited dental schools” is not only impractical but potentially damaging, as many schools across Nigeria are already operating at full capacity based on their own MDCN quotas.

“This is our final year,” another student explained. “Some of us have been here for over 7 years. Now we’re told to leave? Some of my classmates are mentally breaking down. A few have openly expressed suicidal thoughts.”

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Appeals to the Vice Chancellor and Provost

At the center of the controversy are the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Florence Obi, and the Provost of the College of Medical Sciences, who have been accused of failing to address the systemic shortfall in infrastructure and not prioritizing student welfare.

Affected students are now appealing to the public, alumni associations, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), and government authorities to intervene and ensure that no student is unjustly denied graduation after years of academic effort and financial investment.

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Regulatory Oversight and the MDCN’s Role

The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria is the statutory regulatory body responsible for approving dental schools, monitoring training standards, and enforcing quotas to maintain quality assurance in medical and dental education.

Institutions found to be violating admission quotas may face sanctions, while students affected by quota limitations are often left stranded through no fault of their own.

TJ News Nigeria can authoritatively report that under the MDCN Act, no dental student can graduate or be inducted unless their institution’s facilities and quotas are approved.