Skip to main content

Crawford VC urges FG to review scrapping of Post-UTME

FILE PHOTO: Post Utme candidates writing exams.

FILE PHOTO: Post Utme candidates writing exams.

Prof. Olurotimi Ajayi, the Vice-Chancellor, Crawford University, Igbesa, Ogun, on Tuesday called on the Federal Government to review its cancellation of the Post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (post-UTME).

Ajayi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the cancellation of the Post-UTME and its subsequent replacement with screening might not help the university system.

The Federal Government had on June 1, scrapped the Post-UTME for candidates seeking admission into higher institutions.

The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, said that there was no need for another examination to be conducted by universities after the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examinations.

“The whole idea of the Post-UTME examinations is not about money generation but about standards.

“Over time, the examinations have shown that intending students that claimed JAMB marks cannot defend those marks, which is not the fault of JAMB.

“Some of the students that had high JAMB scores cannot even pass a simple test conducted by the universities.

“The test is for the students to prove their ability, to repeat their feat at the JAMB examinations,’’ Ajayi said.

He said it was in the interest of institutions, students as well as the nation for the Federal Government to reverse its stance on the post-UTME.

The vice-chancellor added that the Post-UTME should be seen as a type of quality assurance on the part of universities.

Ajayi said the decision of the Federal Government to fix a price ceiling for the Post-UTME screening on behalf of all universities was high-handed.

According to him, the government’s price ceiling will have a ripple effect on private universities.

The vice-chancellor said that only universities funded by the government could sustain that ceiling.

“The government coming out to fix the price of our Post-UTME at just N2,500 seems high-handed because private universities are not receiving subventions from the government.

“Some of the parents sending their children to the private universities already know they will have to pay more than what is obtainable in the public universities.

“It is unseemly for universities to be controlled by the government, they are supposed to be governed and regulated by their councils.

“Although we will comply with the directive, but we are not very satisfied with it as it seems like a burden.’’

Ajayi said that the Committee of Vice-Chancellors were already looking at various ways to help the government realise the implications of its decisions on the nation’s university system.

He said the committee would soon make its stand on the plight of universities’ public.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Pope not involved in Colombian peace deal- Vatican

Pope Francis Pope Francis has turned down a request to play a role in the peace deal between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel group. The Vatican in a statement issued on Wednesday in in Vatican City said that an invitation was sent to his Holiness in early August to appoint a representative to participate in the committee that selected the judges for the talks. The statement said that though Pope Francis supported the peace process, he, however, reiterated that he would not get involved in Colombian peace deal. It said that Pope was praying for the enlightenment of the hearts and minds of those who were called to promote the common good of the Colombian nation. A deal was announced last week, putting an end to five decades of internal conflict between government forces and the FARC rebels. The agreement, which needed to be ratified through a referendum in Oct. 2, would entail setting up a special court to grant amnesties or pu...

Houthis Claim Attack on Central Israel in Response to Gaza ‘Massacres’

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has taken a concerning regional turn as the Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for an attack on central Israel. The group announced this as part of their escalating response to what they describe as "massacres" in Gaza amid the Israeli military’s operations in the strip. Details of the Attack The Houthis, a Shiite militant group with ties to Iran, declared that they launched missile and drone strikes targeting Israel. While the exact impact of these attacks remains unclear, reports suggest that Israel’s defense systems intercepted several threats over its airspace. This marks a significant escalation as the Houthis widen their involvement in the conflict beyond their typical operations within Yemen and neighboring Saudi Arabia. The Houthis’ Justification In their statement, the Houthis framed the attack as retaliation for Israel’s military actions in Gaza, which they characterized as indiscriminate bombings resultin...

Fall of Assad is a Blow to Russia's Prestige

The potential fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a long-standing ally of Russia, would mark a turning point in Moscow’s global influence, particularly in the Middle East. Steve Rosenberg’s analysis underscores the profound implications for Russia, which has invested heavily—both militarily and politically—in ensuring Assad’s survival over the past decade. This article delves into why Assad’s downfall would strike at the core of Russian prestige and what it could mean for the broader geopolitical landscape. Russia's Strategic Commitment to Syria Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Russia has been a staunch supporter of Assad's regime. In 2015, Moscow launched a military intervention that proved decisive in stabilizing Assad’s hold on power. This intervention solidified Russia's role as a key power broker in the Middle East and demonstrated its willingness to project military power far beyond its borders. Syria is not just an ally for Russia; it is a...