“7 Years Wasted”: UNICAL Dentistry Students Speak Out After Mass Expulsion Over Admission Quota Breach

Over 300 University of Calabar dentistry students, after studying for seven years, were forced to withdraw due to the institution exceeding its admission quota, prompting public outrage and pleas for intervention.

Over 300 students from the Faculty of Dentistry and Dental Surgery at the University of Calabar (UNICAL) have publicly voiced their frustration and heartbreak after being forced to withdraw from the university, despite spending seven years studying toward their degrees.

The affected students were abruptly removed from the program due to an over-enrollment issue that violated the official quota set by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN). According to multiple sources, including a viral post on X (formerly Twitter) by user @dammiedammie35, the students—many of whom were nearing graduation—were informed that their admissions were invalid and were asked to leave the program.

This sweeping decision came days after Vice Chancellor Prof. Florence Banku Obi ordered the withdrawal of hundreds of dental students following internal and regulatory investigations into the faculty’s over-admission practices.

In a video now circulating online, one devastated student pleaded for public attention and support, saying:
“Seven years ago, the University of Calabar admitted us into this fine institution with the hope that after a certain period, we would graduate and practice without issues. Fast forward to now — they’re telling us to leave. After spending seven years, passing exams, reading, staying up countless nights trying to make this dream work — we’re told to go.”

The emotional outpouring has drawn sympathy and outrage from across Nigeria, with many calling for a review of the decision and intervention by education authorities.

Despite the public apology from UNICAL in previous related cases, no resolution has yet been offered to the displaced students, who now face the harsh reality of starting over after nearly a decade of effort.

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SOURCES: ALLSCHOOL, GISTREEL