The Management of the Taraba State College of Nursing Sciences, Jalingo, has rejected claims by a broadcast media report alleging exploitation, intimidation, and threats against students, describing the publication as misleading and unprofessional.
In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by the college’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Jimenda Gideon, the management said the report “falls short of basic journalistic standards of fairness, verification, and responsible reporting.”
According to the statement, the challenges faced by some students were due to poor academic performance and disciplinary issues, including chronic absenteeism, persistent lateness, and prolonged abscondment from lectures and clinical postings, rather than exploitation by the institution.
The college supported its position with examination results, noting that during the September 2025 Midwifery Professional Qualifying Examinations, 141 students sat for the exam, with 58 passing (41%), while 67 Community Midwifery students participated and 40 passed (59.7%). For the November 2025 Nursing Professional Qualifying Examinations, 277 Basic Nursing students (Set 21) sat, with 111 passing (40%), while 135 Community Nursing students sat and 27 passed (20%).
The management stressed that these results reflect students’ preparedness and not administrative failure, noting that the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria centrally sets and marks the examinations.
In response to the poor performance, the college said the Academic Board resolved that students repeating an extra semester must pay approved school fees and maintain at least 75% attendance in lectures and clinical postings before qualifying to rewrite final examinations. Students who fail external examinations are required to first rewrite pre-council exams, with presentation timelines set for March 2026 (Midwifery) and May 2026 (Nursing).
The statement noted that some affected students responded with threats of protest instead of complying with regulations, prompting the college to report the matter to the Ministries of Health and Tertiary Education.
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The management insisted 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 clinical training standards.
It also clarified that institutional rules stipulate that absence from lectures or clinical postings beyond 28 days attracts demotion, a provision contained in the Students’ Handbook.
The college maintained that there was no form of exploitation or intimidation of students, and that the report misrepresented the institution’s adherence to regulatory and academic standards.