By Elizabeth Osayande

Medical students of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA, are now waiting with bated breath for the accreditation of their courses by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, MDCN, five years after they were admitted into the institution.

Checks by Vanguard showed that the development has led to the students being unable to progress beyond 300-level and thereby creating a situation in which three sets are now stuck and 300-level.

According to a source, who craved anonymity: “The first set was accepted into the school in October 2021, and they matriculated in 2022. Everything was going well, as the courses they were doing were the normal science courses. Fast forward to the next session, they got to 200-level, and the second set was admitted to 100-level.

“It was at this point they started to understand the differences between medical students and other students in the school. Their first in-course was written in 2023 after which they moved to the second semester of their 200-level. By the time they wrote their second in-course, they were still in 200-level. The second set was also in 200-level, therefore making two sets in 200-level. There was also a new intake of MBBS students in 100-level at this point, it meant that altogether, there were three sets in a discipline whose highest class was 200-level.

“When the first set moved to 300-level, the second set wrote their first in-course, and moved to the second semester. 

“However, during the time the first set were in 200-level, and the second set was still in 100-level, the school introduced a new fee, separate from the normal school fees called pre-clinical fees, later renamed professional fees. Only MBBS students pay these fees. Eventually, they got to the second semester; but bear in mind that there are now four sets in MBBS, the first set in 300-level,  second and third sets in 200-level, and the last set in 100- level – four sets and the highest set was in 300- level.

“In 300-level, pre-clinical students cross to clinicals and write the 1st MB exam before going to 400-level which is the start of clinicals. But before that, they needed to get MDCN accreditation. It is here we started seeing that it’s like these people don’t know what they’re doing or they did not count the cost before they started building this house, because tell me why for two years now, we’ve not been accredited? 

“Initially, the exam was supposed to hold in November 2024, however it didn’t hold. December, a meeting was called with the students and parents, to tell us that a year would have to be added so they can be able to meet up with the requirements for the accreditation. By the end of 2025, we were told again that they needed extra three months. March 2026 came and passed, yet, nothing. 

“Eventually, the provost spoke on the parents’ online forum (they created a parents forum to keep parents in the loop of what’s happening), saying that they should contribute some money so that they can purchase things for the accreditation. He mentioned that there would be a mock accreditation before the real accreditation. The money for the mock accreditation is N4 million. They’re still trying to raise the money.

“Recently, the provost spoke to the association president saying that the date for the accreditation will be 21-25 of April, 2026. However, he didn’t release any official memo from the school, his office, or even from MDCN, as the case may be. He sent the PTA Chairman to also tell the parents the same thing, and we have all been asking for an official memo to validate that information.

“Knowing that there are still three other accreditations to be gotten before we finally graduate is worrying. Other universities that started together already have accreditation. KWASU, Fulafia, FUHSI, Achievers. If they’re doing like this for the first accreditation, they’ve spent five years trying to get one, just one accreditation, how many more years before we finally graduate? And the provost too, he’d be saying things like other schools, their first set spent 12 years, or 8 or 9 or 10 years. Okay, they spent those years in medical school. Does it mean that FUTA must also make her first set spend 12 years in medical school? 

“Right now, there are five sets in FUTA MBBS. We have three sets in 300-level A, B, and C. Nobody is moving anywhere. The 200-level too, they would soon write their in-course. As they move up, is it until all five sets are in 300-level that they would get their accreditation? The 300C, when they were in 100-level, the pioneers were in 300-level. Now, they’re in 300-level and the first set is still in 300-level,” the source said.

Meanwhile, a source in the management of the university gave the assurance that the expected accreditation exercise later this month would be successful, as every step has been taken to put all necessary things in place.

This is just as the medical students are poised for a showdown with the university authorities if nothing is achieved through the exercise, saying they have wasted enough time.