Eighteen students admitted to the University of Medical Sciences [UNIMED], Ondo, Ondo State were dropped over the inability of their parents to pay their tuition fees, the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Friday Okonofua, has said.

Speaking at the matriculation of the fresh student on Thursday, Prof. Okonofua explained that matriculation signalled the formal admission of the students into the university and any student who failed to pay his or her fees would not register as a student of the institution.

He said,

“18 were unable to pay their school fees so they can not be matriculated till today and after today’s (matriculation) ceremony, such students would have lost their admission this year and will no longer be recognized as students of this university.”

The UNIMED boss explained that 557 students were admitted into the seven faculties in the institution with faculty of sciences leading with 139 students.

He added,

“Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences had 122 students, 120 were admitted into Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, 85 admitted into Faculty of Nursing, 70 into Medicine Faculty and 21 into Faculty of Dentistry.”

Okonofua warned the matriculated students to shun all acts capable of making to lose the studentship of the institution, declaring that the university had no tolerance for indiscipline.

The vice-chancellor also expressed appreciation to the Tertiary Education Trust Funds for the support for the institution, which according to him, contributed tremendously to the development of the varsity.

He also commended the immediate former governor of the state, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko who established the institution, he also lauded the incumbent governor, Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for his relentless efforts in seeing the varsity develop to achieve its mission statement.

Okonofua, who will be retiring from the university in few weeks, told the university community and the people of the state that he would continue to support the varsity even after his retirement to help it get all the courses offered by the varsity accredited at the appropriate times.