Tinubu should scrap Post-UTME; it’s burden to parents, students: South-East Stakeholders

The conduct of Post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination by some Nigerian universities has continued to stir controversy, with many stakeholders describing it as a “legalised means of extorting admission seekers”.

The stakeholders in Anambra, Ebonyi, and Enugu expressed their views in separate interviews with journalists.

They argued that the continued administration of the additional entrance test was an unnecessary burden on parents and students.

They noted that the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, conducted annually by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, was sufficient to test candidates’ aptitude and determine their eligibility for admission into tertiary institutions.

In Ebonyi, Chukwu Ogamdi, a parent, described the post-UTME as “a revenue-generating scheme rather than an academic necessity” and called on the federal government to scrap it.

According to him, parents who have already paid heavily to register their children for the UTME conducted by JAMB are made to pay again for another round of testing that adds little or no value.

Similarly, Lizzy Nwafor, a student seeking admission into one of the federal universities, said the process discouraged many young Nigerians from pursuing higher education.

For Emmanuel Okorie, a civil society activist, the essence of JAMB was being undermined by the persistence of Post-UTME.

“JAMB was established to unify admission processes; allowing universities to conduct another test is like saying JAMB is not competent; it creates confusion, wastes resources, and opens the door to exploitation,” Mr Okorie argued.

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He further called on the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Universities Commission to abolish the practice and sanction institutions still involved.

Also speaking, Nkeiruka Akam, a secondary school teacher, noted that the policy had outlived its usefulness.

According to her, the initial intention was to ensure quality control in admissions, but it has allegedly been abused over time.

“The noble purpose of Post-UTME has been defeated. Today, it is about money, not merit. Authorities must listen to the cries of parents and students and put an end to it,” she said.

The admission officer at Peaceland University in Enugu, Charles Igwe, states that the university does not conduct a post-UTME for its students but rather relies on the students it receives from JAMB.

He added that, based on his knowledge, universities conducting post-UTME were not trying to discredit the credibility of JAMB. He stressed that some students had attempted to manipulate the system, citing reports where students were being impersonated during JAMB exams and engaging in irregular activities to pass.

The registrar of the university, Patrick Ugwu, said that public universities, such as UNN and ESUT, and other large universities, had a large number of student applicants. According to him, the introduction of post-UTME helped those universities to, at least, admit those who really merit their admission.

Similarly, the deputy vice-chancellor (academics) at the Godfrey Okoye University, Enugu, MarySylvia Nwachukwu, says the university does not conduct a post-UTME but believes in the student’s qualifications.

Darlington Nweze, a secondary school teacher, said the post-UTME was not necessary, adding that the JAMB exam was enough to test the students’ abilities. He argued that conducting another exam after JAMB was a dual examination on the same procedure.

According to him, a student can pass JAMB but still fail the university test based on the questions asked.

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A parent, Blessing Ani, noted that some students would score high grades in JAMB but would not obtain half of the grade in the post-UTME screening exam. According to her, some students still cheat during the JAMB exam, thereby making the exam not credible.

A cross-section of residents in Nsukka LGA of Enugu stated that they support the use of JAMB scores by candidates for admission.

In separate interviews with journalists in Nsukka, they called on both federal and state governments to ban universities from using post-UTME as a prerequisite for admission into tertiary institutions.

Titus Idu, the proprietor of Future Leaders Academy Secondary School, Nsukka, called for the government’s intervention on the matter through National Assembly legislation.

Florence Ogbonna, a guardian, said that the government should consider the risks and financial expenses incurred by candidates traveling long distances to take post-UTME screenings.

Ms Ogbonna urged the government to choose between JAMB and tertiary institutions in the country that would be vested with the responsibility of conducting admission examinations into tertiary institutions.

Meanwhile, in Anambra, some parents and prospective students have commended the scrapping of physical Post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (Post-UTME) and the adoption of online screening methods.

Major universities, including Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, and Paul University, as well as several private institutions across Anambra, have adopted online screening for student admissions.

The parents and students said that the shift from physical Post-UTME exams to online screening reduced stress, saved costs, and improved accessibility for applicants nationwide.

Ngozi Ezenwa, a parent resident in Oyo State whose son applied to NAU, praised the initiative, describing it as a welcome relief.

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Another parent, Kenneth Agboola, an engineer whose daughter recently applied to COOU, raised concerns about the transparency of the online screening process.

Chisimdi Adogah, a prospective law student at NAU who resides in Lagos, said she paid N2,000 to register online and uploaded her JAMB scores, O’Level results, and other relevant academic records.

Similarly, Janet Ojomo, who applied to COOU, recounted that she went to a cyber cafe to complete her online registration and is now awaiting her screening results.

However, Franklin Okwaraogu, a prospective student of NAU, said he preferred physical exams to online screening, as there could be internet glitches or failures.

University administrators said the decision to adopt online screening was driven by years of logistical difficulties in organising the Post-UTME exams.

Harrison Madubeze, spokesman for COOU, said that admission screening now relied on JAMB scores and O-Level results to determine the internal cut-off marks.

“COOU stopped requiring prospective students to sit for the post-UTME examination five years ago. “The university now uses the results uploaded by students to determine the internal cut-off marks.

“There was no specific reason given for scrapping the physical Post-UTME, but I believe many institutions abandoned it due to logistical challenges and the burden of organizing the exams,” he said.

Chris Abakare of NAU stated that the university ceased conducting physical Post-UTME tests in 2020 to reduce logistical and financial costs.

Meanwhile, some education advocates warn that scrapping the physical Post-UTME could lead to less merit-based admissions.

Chukwudi Emejom, an education policy analyst, said scrapping the Post-UTME could open the door to backdoor admissions and favoritism.

Post-UTME was introduced in 2005 in response to concerns over examination malpractice in JAMB’s paper-based tests.

Proponents argued that it provided universities with an additional filter to assess candidates’ competence. However, critics insist that the transition of JAMB to a fully computer-based testing system in 2013 has addressed most of those concerns, making Post-UTME redundant.

They, therefore, urged the government to prevail on universities still collecting fees from prospective candidates, either for screening or testing, to desist in order to reduce financial pressure on families.

Tinubu should scrap Post-UTME; it’s burden to parents, students: South-East Stakeholders

(NAN)