Post-UTME is meant to ensure that only
brilliant candidates gain admission into higher institutions. But
candidates are worried that most universities sell forms beyond the
number of students they can admit.
Dayo Komolafe was so certain she would be
admitted into the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, in 2008. Since she
scored 248 in the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board Unified
Tertiary Matriculation Examination and 80 per cent in the university’s
Post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, she felt she had no
cause to worry. But alas, she was not admitted because the university
had limited space.
Last year, Ife Asaolu, another candidate,
had a similar experience. She said, “I was told that the university had
space for just a specific number of candidates. I was disappointed. I
feel I wasted my N1,250 buying the university’s Post-UTME form. I’m sure
they already had an idea of the number of candidates they would admit,
but they still went ahead to sell forms to more candidates. These
universities are extorting money from us.”
Another candidate, Daramola Ayo, also
shared the view that universities extort money from candidates through
excess sale of Post-UTME forms.
“I was so disappointed with Yaba College
of Technology’s claim that they could only admit 4, 500 students out of
the 110,000 candidates that bought their Post-UTME forms because of
space. Didn’t they know before selling the forms that they want to admit
4,500 candidates? This is bad. These institutions are not concerned
about the candidates who apply. They are out to make money from the
candidates. Will YabaTech refund the money of the candidates who
qualified but were not admitted?
“In UNILORIN, 43,871 candidates applied
and sat for the Post-UTME but only 23,871 candidates passed. However,
just 8,093 candidates were admitted. What happened to the remaining
15,773 candidates? Let us assume they failed the exam, but why did the
institution sell forms to such a large number of candidates when it had
space for just 8,093 candidates?” Ayo said.
A student, Dayo Atolabe, had mixed
feelings about the issue. “I believe some universities increase the
number of Post-UTME forms they sell to candidates to defraud them,
while some universities use it as a way to raise money for projects.
“The number of Post-UTME forms
universities sell to candidates should be close to the number of
candidates they hope to admit,” he said.
Prof. Poju Akinyanju of the Department of
Pure and Applied Biology, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology,
Ogbomosho, noted that the cost of Post-UTME forms exceed the
government’s fixed price.
Akinyanju said, “The government claims to
have set a maximum fee of N1,000 for the Post- UTME test in each
university. But the reality is that the minimum is N2,000. In some
private universities it cost N10,000. The average is N5,000. The
increase is masked as administrative and result-checking charges.
“Each candidate spends a minimum of
N12,000 and an average of N30,000. Even if she/he limits herself/himself
to two universities, the cost is N10,000. Add to this the cost of
transport and accommodation, and the risk of travels on roads that are
death traps. It then becomes clear that the programme as presently
conceived is not affordable and should not be sustained.”
According to Akinyanju, the introduction of Post-UTME has not improved the quality of candidates universities admitted.
“No evidence has been provided to prove
that a better set of students are getting admitted since Post-UTME was
instituted. I am not aware of any study that has correlated first year
or final year performance to the UTME and post-UTME scores, at least in
the public media.
“As such, the stress, the cost and the
risk have not been justified and may not be justifiable. The main reason
the universities have taken to two routes which compromise admission
systems appears to me to be the pecuniary gain from the post-UTME and
the other which is remedial/pre-degree programmes. Experience has shown
that not much is remedied in the Pre-degree programmes and that it would
be better if efforts are targeted at improving the quality of products
of our secondary schools,’’ he stated.
Based on the admission process into the
tertiary institutions, Akinyanju said each candidate now had seven
examinations and possibly a number of interviews to undertake. He said, “
She/he writes the UTME test; two Post-UTME tests each to her/his first
and second choice universities, polytechnics or colleges of education.
“Some institutions such as the Federal
University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, conduct a post-UTME examination
interview. If we merely consider the amount of effort an individual has
to put into searching for admission, it cannot be acceptable,” he added.
The Public Relations Officer, Yaba
College of Technology, Lagos State, Mr. Adekunle Adams, however said
the reason why the institution didn’t place restriction on the sale of
Post-UTME forms was beacasue they wanted to give candidates equal
preference.
He said, “ We recived 110,000 candidates
that chose YABATECH as their first choice. It’s only fair that all
these candidates have the opportunity to sit for our Post-UTME. We
couldn’t have selected a few and ignored the others because the
institution doesn’t have enough space. That is not right.”
The Deputy Director, Corporate Affairs,
UNILORIN, Mr. Kunle Akogun, also said it was impossible to restrict the
sale of Post-UTME forms to candidates.
He said, “We can’t restrict the sale of
Post-UTME forms. Everyone must be given a fair chance. At the same time
not all candidates can qualify. Many are called but a few are chosen.”
Akogun noted that universities were not
extorting candidates and that money got from the sale of Post-UTME forms
was not enough for the administration of the examination. “This process
is not a money-making venture. The money we make out of the sale of
Post-UTME forms is less than the cost of running computer-based
Post-UTME,” he added.
Similarly, Prof. Sam Onuigbo of the
University of Nigeria, Nsukka, said the reason why universities sell
more than required number of Post-UTME forms was because they are
looking for excellent candidates.
“Universities advertise so that they can
get a wide range to choose from. These universities are in no way
extorting money from candidates. It costs so much to organise Post-UTME
exams; pay invigilators, print forms and handle other logistics. The
money these universities spend exceeds the total money got from the sale
of Post-UTME forms. It’s a competitive world and each university wants
the best,” he said.
Onuigbo added that the candidates who
were complaining about the cost of Post-UTME forms were those who failed
to gain admission.
“It is a 50/50 chance. Not all candidates
can gain entry into a university. The money from the sale of Post-UTME
forms is invested in the university. Universities are not extorting
money from candidates,” he said.
The Pro-Chancellor, Ekiti State
University, Prof. Akinjide Osuntokun, said it was important for
universities to conduct Post-UTME exams so as to examine candidates who
claimed to have excelled in UTME.
“Some candidates will claim to have
scored 350 in UTME but when they sit for our Post-UTME exam, they fail.
This Post-UTME exam serves as a point check. Also, universities sell
Post-UTME forms to more than the required number of candidates that can
be admitted in order to give candidates who did not excel in UTME a
second chance to prove themselves,” he said.
Osuntokun said the status of JAMB makes
it difficult to determine the originality of candidates’ results, adding
that there should be a centralised system where candidates sit for just
one exam.
He, however, lamented that corruption in the education system had made having a centralised system impossible.
“We should advise the government to scrap JAMB and allow universities handle their examination,” Osuntokun stated.
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