FG scraps post UTME tests, as stakeholders peg cut-off mark at 180
The Federal Government on Thursday announced the scrapping of post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations, as a pre-condition to gaining admission into universities in the country.
This controversial policy which ceded a lot of discretion on each university to admit a candidate after they have made UTME cut off points had been seriously abused, giving undue advantages to children of the rich who were able to pay their ways through.
The decision to scrap the policy was reached at the 2016 Combined Policy Meeting on Admissions to Universities, Polytechnics and other higher institutions in Nigeria.
Post UTME is usually conducted by universities for candidates after they have passed the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations.
Making the pronouncement yesterday in Abuja to declare open the 2016 combined policy meeting on admission to universities, polytechnics and other higher institutions in Nigeria, the Minister of Education , Malam Adamu Adamu, said the federal government has confidence in the examinations conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, adding that there is no need for other examinations to be conducted by universities after JAMB exams.
He said that in addition stakeholders in education sector also pegged 180 as the benchmark for 2016 admission into universities, polytechnics and colleges of education to improve the quality of education in Nigeria.
He said, “As far as I am concerned, the nation has confidence in what JAMB is doing, the universities should not be holding another examinations and if the universities have any complain against JAMB, let them bring it and then we address it. But if JAMB is qualified enough to conduct tests and they have conducted test, then there will be no need to conduct another test for students to gain admission.
“The ministry expects that all candidates given admission must be from JAMB. but JAMB must stop issuing admission letters, JAMB should get in touch with institutions before offering admission to students. The closing date is November 30th and no university should exceed its admission capacity and any tertiary institution that doesn't follow the rule, the ministry would start sanctioning them. Institutions should stop admitting students into un-accredited courses in their institutions. The institutions should stop writing JAMB to increase their quotas because JAMB cannot do that.”
Adamu also said J AMB should no longer entertain requests for to quota increases as there were relevant agencies to do so, insisting that the criteria for admission was still in force, and asked the institutions to adhere to it.
“Merit is 45%, catchment area 35% and educational development in less developed states 20%, this is for federal universities and for states universities, merit 40%, catchment 40 % and less developed local governments get 20%,'' he said.
The Minister also asked the Joint Admissions Matriculation Board to stop extra charges on several categories of changes on admissions such as the change of course, change of school and others.
The Registrar of JAMB, Professor Dibu Ojerinde, who briefed journalists after the meeting, said institutions were free to go above the 180 benchmark.
“180 benchmark is even, no one will go below it this year. Universities can go above it. This year, we have more than enough candidates because over 1.2 million candidates scored above 180, so we have enough candidates this year. “There won't be any written post-U TME but they would screen the candidates. It is a necessary thing to screen the candidates. ''We agree and the Minister of Education also agrees but the issue of taking another examination is no longer going to happen,” he said.
He said this year, the examination board have more than enough candidates with over 1.5 million candidate, saying, “So we will get enough candidates to take in all the schools if they are serious”
The JAMB registrar said re- distribution is already ongoing because it is embedded in the registration procedure.
He reiterated the minister of Education's pronouncement saying, “for post UTME ,no more writing of post UTME anymore but institutions will screen their candidates.
However, touts protested at the venue of the 2016 Combined Policy meeting on Thursday.
They carried placards with various inscriptions, some of which called on the federal government, National Assembly and other major stakeholders to put an end to the conduct of the post UTME exams.
Some also called on the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the ICPC to probe university administrators on the utilisation of the post UTME.