Taraba Nursing College blames students’ failure on poor attendance

The management of the Taraba State College of Nursing Sciences, Jalingo, has described as misleading and unprofessional a report alleging exploitation, intimidation and threats against students of the institution.

In an official statement issued on Thursday and signed by the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Jimenda Gideon, the college faulted the publication, saying the allegations of exploitation and threats against students “fall short of basic journalistic standards of fairness, verification and responsible reporting.”

According to the statement, the challenges faced by some students were “strictly the result of poor academic performance and disciplinary issues, including chronic absenteeism from lectures, persistent lateness, and prolonged abscondment from both lectures and clinical postings,” and not due to any form of exploitation by the management.

Backing its position with examination records, the college disclosed that during the September 2025 Midwifery Professional Qualifying Examinations, “a total of 141 students sat for the examination, out of which 58 students passed (41 per cent),” while “67 Community Midwifery students participated, with 40 students passing (59.7 per cent).”

For the November 2025 Nursing Professional Qualifying Examinations, the management said “277 Basic Nursing students (Set 21) sat for the examination, with 111 students passing (40 per cent),” adding that “135 Community Nursing students sat for the examination, out of which only 27 students passed (20 per cent).”

The college stressed that the results “reflect the level of students’ preparedness, not administrative failure,” noting that the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria centrally sets and marks the examinations and that “college management has no influence whatsoever over the outcome.”

It explained that, in response to the poor results and in line with regulatory requirements, the management and the Academic Board resolved that “students repeating an extra semester are required to pay the approved school fees,” and that “students must attain a minimum of 75 per cent attendance in lectures and clinical postings before qualifying to rewrite final examinations.”

The statement further noted that “any student who fails an external examination must first rewrite the pre-council examinations,” while presentation timelines were fixed for “March 2026 (Midwifery) and May 2026 (Nursing)” to avoid sanctions or possible closure of the institution.

The management revealed that instead of complying with the regulations, “some affected students issued a collective response threatening protest actions,” prompting the college to report the matter to the Ministries of Health and Tertiary Education, with all relevant supporting documents submitted.

It added that institutional rules clearly stipulate that “absence from lectures and clinical postings beyond 28 days attracts demotion,” as contained in the Students’ Handbook.

The management denied claims of exploitation or intimidation, insisting that “all fees charged are statutory, transparent and aligned with the Taraba State Government’s free education policy, the requirements of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, and standard clinical training regulations.”

Culled from punch .