By Ekemini Raymond
Indications emerged recently that the University of Calabar has admitted more than the requried number of students, in the just concluded admission offered to freshmen/women for the ongoing academic session.
Findings made by our reporter reveal that various heads of departments are rejecting some of the students offered admission into their respective departments, for what they described as over admission, on the part of the management of the school.
One of the departments which rejected numerous freshers who had joyfully resumed school, after paying the high acceptance fee of fifteen thousand Naira, is the department of Medical Laboratory Science, in the College of Medical Science.
Some of the rejected students, who spoke out, had these to say: A guy who identified himself as Emeka lamented the punishments and frustration caused him. According to him, he had resumed early enough, and had paid his acceptance fee of fifteen thousand naira, and proceeded to the department for clearance by the HOD, only for the HOD to inform him that the department is filled, and as such he has to change program.
A similar case has also been reported in the department of medicine and surgery. Reacting to the development, the Registrar of the institution, Mr. Moses Abang, urged the HODs not to reject any students offered admission in their departments, but up till now the registrar’s admonition seems to have fallen on deaf ears, as many of the rejected students are still seen roaming about the University, while some have opted for a change of program.
On a visit to speak with the HOD of Medical Lab Science, who is leading in the rejection of students, he was not on seat, but a very senior lecturer in the department, who spoke on anonymity expressed total disappointment with the university management for offering admission to students numbering more than the total number allotted to the departments.
He added that if the HOD had cleared all of the students, the departments stand the risk of losing accreditation. According to him, the highest number the department can contain is 80, but the university offered more than 140 students admission into the department.
He pleaded with those affected to change to other departments that are ready to accommodate them.