By Damilola Samuel
More than 100 graduates of Nursing and Physiotherapy at Zamfara State University, Talata Mafara, are facing uncertainty over their careers after completing their studies without being indexed by the professional bodies regulating their fields.
The affected students, drawn from two graduating sets, are reportedly unable to complete the professional processes required to sit for their examinations and begin their careers, with some nursing graduates already at home instead of proceeding for the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) examination.
According to SaharaReporters report, which said the university has accreditation from the National Universities Commission (NUC), but the two departments are yet to obtain full professional accreditation from their respective regulatory bodies.
One of the affected students said the graduates had made several efforts to get a solution but were yet to receive clear information from the university.
“We have been moving from one place to another and visiting different ministries, trying to find a way out, but nothing seems to be working. There is still no clear information about the situation.”
The student said the lack of professional accreditation had affected graduates who had already spent months on internship without knowing when the indexing and examination processes would be resolved.
Another affected student said the university’s NUC accreditation was not enough for the two programmes to proceed with professional training and examinations.
“The only accreditation we have at the moment is the accreditation by the National Universities Commission (NUC). However, these two departments also need accreditation from their respective national professional regulatory bodies.”
The student added that the professional regulatory bodies had not carried out full accreditation of the programmes, claiming that an advisory visit was conducted in 2023 but no substantial progress followed.
The graduates are also questioning why the university continued admitting students into the programmes despite the accreditation challenges.
“If the university knew that the programmes had not been accredited, why did it continue admitting more students?” one of the affected students asked.
The students said two sets have now graduated without being indexed by their professional regulatory bodies, while some pioneer graduates are already five to six months into their internships.
The situation has left affected nursing graduates particularly concerned because indexing by the NMCN is required before they can proceed with the council’s professional examination.
The students have appealed to the university management and relevant government authorities to resolve the accreditation issues and provide clear information on when the affected graduates will be called back for indexing and examinations.
Zamfara State University, a state-owned institution established in 2018, is located in Talata Mafara. The university has since undergone a change in management, with a new vice-chancellor now heading the institution.
