The House of Representatives on Tuesday called on the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Education, to conduct a forensic investigation into the crisis rocking the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Calabar.

The decision of the House was sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance co-sponsored by the House Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda and Ahmad Jaha during Tuesday?s plenary.

Speaking on the substance of the motion, Jaha noted that over 300 Dentistry students at the University of Calabar, Cross River State are going through difficult times, following the refusal of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria to induct graduates from the university?s Faculty of Dentistry due to persistent over-admission beyond the Council?s approved annual quota of only 10 students as a result of provisional accreditation of the faculty.

The situation, Jaha added, ?Has resulted in a complete academic standstill, with the university authorities recently directing all students in the Faculty of Dentistry across all levels-to vacate campus indefinitely, pending a resolution of the impasse.?

He continued, ?The House is aware that students, some in their final year of training, have invested significant time, resources, psychological and emotional energy toward earning their Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) degree, but now face devastating uncertainty, loss of career prospects, and psychological distress through no fault of theirs.

?The House is also aware that the Vice Chancellor of the University has publicly acknowledged administrative failures in the over-enrolment process and has proposed non-consensual remedies including the redirection of students to other faculties or institutions, which many affected students strongly oppose.

?The House is disturbed that unless urgent and coordinated action is taken, the education and professional aspirations of hundreds of young Nigerians will be unjustly truncated, causing reputational damage to the Nigerian higher education system. ?

The House, following the adoption of the motion, urged the Federal Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the National Universities Commission and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria to ?Conduct a thorough audit of the University of Calabar?s Faculty of Dentistry, including admission records, infrastructure, and staffing, with a view to ameliorating the plight of students of Dentistry in the University.?

It also directed the University of Calabar to immediately halt all punitive measures affecting students, and work collaboratively with stakeholders to implement equitable remedial solutions such as, ?Phased induction

Plans, catch-up modules or facilitated transfers to accredited faculties-in consultation with affected students.?

It also directed the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria to consider a temporary induction framework for eligible students, based on competency and clinical exposure, while structural issues are being resolved.

The House further mandated it?s Committees on Tertiary Education and Services, Health, and Youth Development to investigate the circumstances surrounding the over-enrolment, the role of university officials, and the actions taken thus far.

The Committees were given four weeks to submit a report to the House for further legislative action. (The PUNCH)

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