Students from the Nursing Science and Medicine departments at the University of Calabar have staged protests over what they describe as an unfair screening exercise that forced many to change their courses after sitting for examinations.
The mostly second-year students claimed their admission status was suddenly altered on the school portal without prior notice or explanation, despite having paid all required school and departmental fees.
Speaking to journalists on Monday, an anonymous Nursing student expressed frustration: “We paid every due required by the university, school fees, faculty and departmental dues, yet after writing our exams, we saw ‘change of programme’ on our portals. When we asked questions, the management kept saying different things; some said it was because of one failed course, others said it was because we didn’t do departmental screening.”
READ ALSO: One Year of People-Centered Leadership in Yakurr — A Journey of Impact
She further alleged that officials demanded extra payments for the screening despite initial assurances it was free. “We were told the screening was free, but suddenly they started asking for money. We are here to study, not to be extorted or frustrated,” she said.
Another Medicine student described the confusion around a “regularization” process, which students were told would secure their places. “They asked us to do regularization because of the number of students admitted. We complied, paid all required fees, and worked hard to maintain good grades. Now they are saying that those who did regularization or had an ‘F’ should leave the department,” he said.
Some students also highlighted what they see as over-admission beyond approved quotas. “The quota for Nursing by the Nursing Council is 150, but we were told the school admitted over 900 students. Now they are asking us to change our programmes when lectures have already begun,” one lamented.
A parent representing affected families called the situation “frustrating and unjust.” He said, “You cannot punish the students for a mistake caused by the management. Some of these children have spent years trying to gain admission, and now that they’ve made it, they are being forced out unfairly.”
In response, Public Relations Officer of the institution, Dr. Effiong Eyo, rejected the students’ accusations, stating that many protesting students were not officially admitted into Medicine or Nursing. He explained, “The Deputy Vice Chancellor had met with the affected students, and it was discovered that some of them gained admission ‘through side ways,’ while others were not listed on the JAMB admission portal.”
Dr. Eyo added some students were admitted into other programmes such as Human Nutrition, not Medicine or Nursing, a finding that followed an internal audit triggered by earlier irregularities in the Dentistry department. He concluded, “The best option for the affected students is to change their course of study.”
