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Medical students at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Anambra State have expressed concerns over the significant disruptions in their academic schedule, examinations and delay in graduation following the ongoing strike embarked upon by members of the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria at the school.
The students are urging both the university and MDCAN to prioritise their education, calling for a swift end to the strike.
The members of MDCAN embarked on the strike on September 24, 2024, to express their displeasure over the governing council’s decision to include some requirements that disqualifies medical and dental lecturers from contesting for the office of the UNIZIK’s vice-chancellor.
According to MDCAN, the requirements contain some discrepancies and discriminatory contents.
Some students, who spoke with our correspondent, said their studies and examinations to progress to the next level of academics have been stalled due to the strike.
They, however, indicated that they may embark on a mega protest against the delays in their studies.
The President of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Medical Students Association, Emmanuel Ikefuna, stated that exams for 500 and 600-level students respectively have been stalled, preventing them from progressing to the next class and graduating due to the strike.
He said, “We are planning on staging a mega protest at the main campus in Awka because learning activities are being cut short. Though we don’t have a date fixed for that yet; we had actually protested in Nnewi on October 3rd, but we are now planning a mega protest in Awka. When students go to the hospital to learn, they get chased away from the clinics and the ward.
“The final year students were supposed to start their exams to graduate immediately, but the strike has stalled the whole thing, and this is adding to the fact that medical students have stayed so long in school because after the strike, not even an hour was removed from our calendar. We had an extra one year plus, everybody had extra 16 months. There is nobody in this school that is our mate, because whenever they call off a strike, they finish immediately, but not for medical schools. So, this is the problem we’ve been facing.”
Another student who identified herself as Sarah also voiced her frustration saying, it feels like her academic journey has been put on pause.
She said, “We’ve invested so much time and effort preparing for our exams, and now everything is just on hold. It’s incredibly disheartening because our future is left hanging in the balance. We just want to return to our classes and continue our education without this uncertainty hanging over us.”
Another final-year medical student who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of intimation, expressed deep frustration and concern over the impact of the strike on his education and future career.
“This strike has thrown our entire future into limbo. We’ve spent years studying and preparing for our exams, which are crucial for us to graduate and start our careers.
“The strike has disrupted our final preparations. After countless hours of studying and hands-on training, it’s heartbreaking to see our exams put on hold, and it’s frustrating,” the student lamented.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of MDCAN at the Nnamdi Azikwe University Teaching Hospital, Awka, Dr Victor Modekwe said the strike is not just to ensure the right thing is done, but for the good of students.
“If we arrive at the conclusion with the council, school starts. Like we said, a terrible injustice is being done to the medical profession, students also will suffer because if they graduate and if will allow this to happen, then their future is bleak and the future of medical education in Nigeria is bleak because it means if you’re not qualified to teach, then you’re away from teaching and then that means you won’t have anybody in academia, medical training will drop, you won’t have teachers.
“We need to appeal to the government to compel the council to do the right thing, it’s the simplest thing to do, it doesn’t require energy or stress,” Modekwe stated.
