Sharp division in Reps over move to abolish Post-UTME

There was a sharp division in the House of Representatives, on Wednesday, over the moves to scrap the Post Universal Tertiary Matriculation Examination, Post- UTME.

This followed a hot debate on a motion which was sponsored by a member, Hon Ademorin Kuye title: “Need to Stop Post JAMB/UTME Examination in Nigeria’s Higher Institutions” at the plenary presided over by the Deputy Speaker Honourable Idris Wase.

Leading the debate on the motion, Honourable Kuye stated that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) was established in 1978 and saddled with the responsibility of conducting matriculation examinations for entry into tertiary institutions.

According to him: ” Also notes that JAMB appoints examiners, moderators, invigilators, members of the Subject Panels and Committees and other persons with respect to the matriculation examinations and other matters incidental thereto in order to place suitably qualified candidates in tertiary institutions.

“Nigerians pay for Senior School Certificate Examinations (WAEC and NECO) through either internal or external registration and also pay to purchase JAMB/UTME forms to enable them sit for the examination to gain admissions into higher institutions of their choices.

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“Disturbed that after payments and undergoing rigorous registration and examination processes as final step to gaining admissions into Higher Institutions, the said Higher Institutions subject students to another internal examination/test called POST UTME/JAMB on payment of yet another fee.”

He said all these were done without any consideration for indigent parents and students.

According to the lawmaker, the same Higher Institutions repose trust in the examinations conducted by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) and the National Examination Council (NECO) and accept the results presented by students without subjecting them to another round of examinations

” Virtually all higher institutions now subject students to paying between two thousand and three thousand naira (N2, 000, N3, 000) in the name of going through another exam called POST/UTME screening examinations which is not backed by any law.”

He noted that the proceeds therefrom are not accounted for “which leaves room for manipulation and exploitation and lack of acceptability of the fund generated.”

Contributing in support of motion during the debate, the likes of Abdulmumuni Mohammed Benjamin Kalu, Adebayo Balogun, Benjamin Chinedu, and Sam Onuigbo amongst others called for its immediate scrap describing it as another avenue to extort money from innocent candidates.

However, other members disagreed with the resolutions that amongst other things urged all higher institutions in Nigeria to henceforth stop the post UTME/JAMB screening

In his contribution, Honourable Nfon Patrick stated that “if not for the Post UTME, Nigerians may have graduates who can’t account for their academic qualifications. I think those that passed the Post UTME have capacity.

Also, Honourable Abubakar Yunusa while opposing the motion said that WAEC and JAMB are not enough to screen candidates into the university. He argued that what happened was the figure that JAMB passed for placement ” is more than what the university has space for.”

The Minority leader of the House, Honourable Ndudi Elumelu, called for an amendment, that, rather than call for an outright scrapping of the examination, the Committee on Tertiary Education and Services should interface with JAMB on Post -UTME and report to the House within four weeks for further legislative action.