A concerned parent of a University of Benin (UNIBEN) student has voiced concerns about what they see as unjust treatment of pupils admitted to the Doctor of Optometry curriculum for the 2025/2026 academic year.

In a message sent to ARISE TV journalist Rufai Oseni on X (previously Twitter), the parent stated that UNIBEN admitted approximately 350 students to the Optometry programme before later claiming it could only retain 150 students owing to quota and accreditation issues.

According to the notification, the impacted students obtained formal admission letters from both UNIBEN and JAMB, paid acceptance fees for Optometry, resumed academic activities in November 2025, and began full-time Optometry classes.

However, roughly four months into the session, the university reportedly informed students that only 150 of them would be allowed to continue in the programme, with the others being transferred to different courses.

According to the parent, many of the impacted pupils are currently being denied clearance, despite the fact that exams are set to begin in March.

They stated that this has left students feeling confused, apprehensive, and uncertain about their academic future.

“What pains me the most is that these children did nothing wrong,” the parent wrote. “We paid acceptance fees in good faith, believing our children were properly admitted into Optometry.”

The parent accused the institution of a lack of transparency, claiming that there was no clear information about how the 150 students would be chosen or why the issue was not handled earlier.

They also raised concern about the students’ mental and emotional well-being, as many are still in the 100 level and unsure of their academic standing.

“These students don’t even know what department they belong to at this point, yet lectures are ongoing and exams are approaching,” the parent said.

The parent, who described the situation as an institutional failure, requested public notice and involvement, claiming that the subject is being handled silently and without sufficient contact with parents and pupils.

“I cannot watch my child’s dreams and mental health suffer because of irresponsibility from UNIBEN,” the message concluded. “Nigeria has failed my child.”

As at the time of posting this report, the University of Benin had not issued an official public comment responding to the concerns raised by parents and students about the Optometry admissions crisis.

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