•Threatens sanction against heads of erring institutions
From Fred Ezeh, Abuja and Gabriel Dike
The Federal Government, throught the Ministry of Education, has scrapped Post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (Post-UTME).
A statement issued and signed by Deputy Director of Press and Public Relations in the ministry, Mr Ben Goong quoted the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu as saying that the ban was with immediate effect.
“Under no circumstance should any institution violate the directive. The responsibility for admission into public tertiary institutions lies solely with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and, under no circumstance, whatsoever, should anybody or institution take over that responsibility by proxy.
“For the avoidance of doubt, any educational institution after secondary education is regarded as a tertiary institution. Therefore, all tertiary institutions, polytechnics, colleges of education, universities or by whatever name it is called after secondary education, must be subjected to admission through JAMB.’’
The statement said at the end of probationary admission by JAMB, candidates could be screened for final admission.
It said any institution with a shortfall in admission could revert to JAMB for supplementary admission.
The minister also said screening, in this case, entails only the verification of certificates of the candidates, JAMB scores, and any other physical examination to ensure that such candidates are not cultists.
“After this, candidates are qualified for matriculation. Such screening should be at no cost to the parents or students and should be done upon resumption, in order to avoid unnecessary travels in search of admission,’’ the statement added.
It said the clarification became necessary in order to erase doubts in some quarters regarding the real stance of the minister.
“As far as I am concerned, if the nation has confidence in what JAMB is doing, the universities should not be holding another examinations.
“If the universities have any complaint against JAMB, let them bring it and then, we address it. But, if JAMB is qualified enough to conduct tests and they have conducted the test, then, there will be no need to conduct another test for students to gain admission,’’ Adamu said in an earlier statement.
The statement quoted the minister as saying that there had been no empirical evidence to show that since the inception of Post-UTME, universities had been having better quality students.
The statement said the minister had directed the National Universities Commission (NUC) and appropriate departments in the ministry to communicate the directive to relevant agencies and institutions, to ensure strict compliance.
“Those who have already advertised for the conduct of the post-UTME under any guise should stop the exercise immediately as any university caught conducting post-UTMNE will face appropriate sanctions.
Meanwhile, former Vice Chancellor of Wesley University, Professor Tola Badejo, has advised the Federal Government to make post UTME optional.
Speaking on a Channels Televsion programme, Sunrise Daily, Badejo maintained that authorities of various institutions should be allowed to decide how to accept candidates.
“Why should you tell somebody not to organise screening when, before you leave any university, you have to be found competent in character and learning.
“If I have to do that, why should someone tell me not to interview every candidate?” the don questioned.