RismadarVoice Reporters
January 15, 2026
The management of the Taraba State College of Nursing Sciences, Jalingo, has dismissed it as misleading and unprofessional; a report alleging exploitation, threats, and intimidation of students by the institution.
In a statement issued on Thursday, signed by the college’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Jimenda Gideon, the management said the claims “fall short of basic journalistic standards of fairness, verification and responsible reporting.”
According to the college, 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, not exploitation by the management.
Backing its position with examination records, the college disclosed that during the September 2025 Midwifery Professional Qualifying Examinations, 141 students sat for the exam, with 58 passing (41 per cent), while 67 Community Midwifery students took the exam, with 40 passing (59.7 per cent).
For the November 2025 Nursing Professional Qualifying Examinations, 277 Basic Nursing students sat the exam, with 111 passing (40 per cent), and 135 Community Nursing students took the exam, of whom only 27 passed (20 per cent).
The management stressed that these 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 the college has no influence over the outcomes.
In response to the poor results, and in line with regulatory requirements, the college and its Academic Board resolved that students repeating an extra semester must pay the approved school fees and must attain at least 75 per cent attendance in lectures and clinical postings before qualifying to rewrite final examinations.
Additionally, any student who fails an external examination must first rewrite the pre-council examinations, with presentation timelines set for March 2026 (Midwifery) and May 2026 (Nursing) to avoid sanctions or possible closure.
The management said that rather than complying with these 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, submitting all relevant supporting documents.
The statement emphasized that institutional rules clearly stipulate that “absence from lectures and clinical postings beyond 28 days attracts demotion,” as contained in the Students’ Handbook.
The college also 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.”
