National Association of Nigerian Students (NAN) has threatened to embark on a nationwide protest within 48 hours if the Medical faculty of Kaduna State University was not accredited by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.
The medical students of Kaduna State University, KASU, yesterday in Kaduna staged a peaceful protest at the Government House, Kaduna calling on Governor, Mal. Nasiru El-Rufa’i to end their academic stagnation which they said was frustrating.
In a statement made available to the press, the students body said it was no longer news that medical students in KASU have been stranded for years due to lack of accreditations of her medical faculty by Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, MDCN.
Speaking to the media, Coordinator, National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, a 400L Mass Communication student of Ahmadu Bello University, ABU, Zaria, Comrade Usman Baba Kangia said NANS, National President, Comrade Tijjani Usman has been intimated of the happenings. “I’m assuring my colleagues in KASU that in the next 48hrs, if no action is taken on the part of the government to resolve this issue, NANS will have no other option but to join their colleagues for the protest fully,” he said.
The students who carried placards with inscriptions such as: “All we are re saying, give us accreditation,” “Get Barau Dikko accredited by MDCN” and “No story of accreditation,” said this situation has resulted to most students now being stranded in 300L after spending five years in the university.
“Our future has been held down amid these years of stagnation and frustration. We have explored all possible ways to draw government’s attention to our plight but it seems the problem keeps persisting.
“Our stay in the university is taking too long than necessary as a result of lack of accredited facility for our clinical studies.
“This condition has crippled our ambition as young individuals striving to study and contribute our quota in making Kaduna State and the nation at large great again.
“We have made efforts to draw the attention of the state government in different ways. Among many such measures are the presentations to various sub-transition committees, the peaceful demonstration staged by the students at the state secretariat on 9th September, 2015.
“The students were attended to by the commissioners of Health and Education. A subsequent meeting was held on 11th September, 2015 with representatives of the ministries, university authority, hospital management and the contractors handling some of the projects. During these meetings, it was resolved that by last week of October, 2015, the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria should be expected for an accreditation visit to the university.
“Our hope is even more dashed by the apparent silence on this very important issue at public hearings and press conferences especially when issues concerning Education and Health are being discussed.
“The recent pronouncement by this administration to select and sponsor 30 female students from across the state for medical studies abroad also calls for concern as to whether we, the medical students of the faculty of medicine, KASU, are of any value to the state.
“It is however important to note that the Faculty had secured accreditation by NUC but CANNOT still allow the students move on with their studies until that of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, MDCN is obtained which is of course much more difficult owing to the high demands by the MDCN,” the statement said.
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