Minister of education, Mallam Adamu Adamu
– The recent cancellation of Post UME exams by the federal government seems to have been ignored – Authorities in some universities have defied the government’s order – The schools have devised other means to screen students and mandate them to pay certain fees A report by Daily Sun has detailed how some universities have tactfully ignored the directive of the federal government as regards the recent cancellation of Post UME fees.
According to the report, the universities have devised other means to test applicants and charge administrative fees in the process. The universities were said to have invited applicants for admission for the 2016/2017 academic session, ask them to pay certain amount and also sit for a screening test before being considered for admission.
Interestingly, some of the universities put out the requirements in adverts displayed on the pages of various national newspapers. The University of Benin (UNIBEN), in an advertisement in one of the papers, said its screening would be computer-based and candidates are expected to pay N2, 000 and N1, 000 for past questions (optional). When contacted, UNIBEN public relations officer, Mr Michael Osasuyi justified the advertisement, adding that the university is not violating any government directive. ‘’Parents should wait for us to conduct our screening before complaining. We are in order. UNIBEN screening started from the cut-off mark. The amount we are asking candidates to pay is administrative charges for the admission exercise,’’ Oasuyi said.
In the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo the school is demanding N5,000 from each candidates for the screening test and that the payment form/slip would serve as entry ticket into the screening hall as well as sitting arrangement. The acting head of the centre for information, press and public relations in the scool, Mr Adekola said despite the advertisement published for the 2016/2017 admission exercise in a newspaper, the institution intend to make the applicants write another examination. On its part, the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) in its advert for the 2016/2017 admission exercise requested prospective applicants to pay N2, 000 as processing fee and for result checking, while directing candidates to come to different designated venues. Meanwhile, a media aide to the minister of education, Dr Bem Goong however said that the proposed screening test by the universities is illegal and unacceptable. He stated that government has stopped candidates writing any form of examination in order to gain admission into tertiary institutions. According to him, it was wrong for any university to conduct screening test as well as demand fees from prospective candidates. He promised that the minister will release a statement on the issue today.
The federal government on Thursday, June 1, scrapped the Post UTME for candidates seeking admission into higher institution. This means all tertiary institutions are now at liberty to conduct screening for candidates seeking admission into any school. Mallam Adamu Adamu, the minister of education, explained that there was no need for any other examination to be conducted by universities after Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). JAMB has also pegged the cut off mark for admission for 2016 at 180.
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