Outrage at UNICAL as VC Sends Dentistry Students Home Over Inflated Admissions

Tension has gripped the University of Calabar (UNICAL) following the Vice Chancellor’s decision to send hundreds of students in the Faculty of Dentistry and Dental Surgery home after the institution admitted more students than approved by regulatory authorities.

Osmek News gathered that the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Florence Banku Obi, issued the directive during a meeting with the affected students and their parents on Thursday, July 10. The move follows the discovery that the school had exceeded the admission quota set by the Nigerian Medical and Dental Council.

A memo from the Provost’s Office, College of Medical Sciences (Ref: UC/CMS/PO/209), dated July 7, 2025, invited all dental students and their parents to the meeting. Though the agenda wasn’t disclosed, the letter signed by Mrs. Anita B. Eyo, Deputy Registrar/College Secretary was titled: “Notice of Meeting with the Vice-Chancellor.”

At the meeting, students from 200 to 600 levels were informed they must return home with their parents until the school resolves the over-admission crisis.

Affected students, many of whom have paid millions in tuition, accommodation, and other fees, expressed frustration and anger. One student described the situation as a “huge injustice,” accusing the university of greed for admitting far more than the approved number of students.

“The Medical Council gave a quota of 10, but the university admitted over 300 students in one class,” a student lamented.

Another student said the Vice Chancellor banned all forms of protest, worsening the students’ sense of helplessness. “We’ve been spending money on school fees, rent, books, and feeding—now they’re telling us to go home like we don’t matter,” she said.

Students have demanded that the decision be reversed, calling for accountability and justice. As of now, the situation remains unresolved, and tensions are high within the campus community.

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