VC Selection Row: UNICAL Clinical Lecturers Suspend Strike

Clinical lecturers at the University of Calabar have ended their indefinite strike and resumed academic duties, following a resolution of the dispute over the university’s Vice Chancellor selection process. The lecturers, under the aegis of the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), had embarked on the strike on June 13, protesting their exclusion from the application process for the Vice Chancellor position due to what they described as discriminatory job criteria. In a memo signed by MDCAN’s UNICAL Chapter Chairperson, Dr. Patience Odusolu, and Secretary, Dr. Ehiosun Aigbomian, the group demanded the withdrawal and reissuance of the job advertisement, citing the exclusion of medical fellowship holders in favour of candidates with PhDs. MDCAN National President, Prof. Muhammad Muhammad, on Monday confirmed that the issue has been resolved after the intervention of the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa. Prof. Muhammad explained that clinical medicine follows a different academic pathway, relying on residency training and fellowships rather than the traditional PhD route. He said, “In clinical medicine, we don’t follow the conventional Master’s/PhD route. Our training is through a residency programme, which is both academic and clinical, lasting six to eight years and culminating in the award of a fellowship.” He added that fellowship qualifications are recognised for the appointment of consultants in hospitals and academic roles in universities, and that many former vice chancellors with such qualifications have served effectively. “In Calabar, despite the Federal Ministry of Education’s guidelines on the appointment of Vice Chancellors, Provosts, and Rectors, the university initially required only PhD holders to apply,” he said. “That was the core of our disagreement.” Following discussions with the education ministry, the University of Calabar issued an addendum to the initial advertisement, stating that applicants with either a PhD or a recognised medical fellowship are now eligible to apply for the Vice Chancellor position. Prof. Muhammad confirmed that with this development, MDCAN members at UNICAL resumed work last week.