In
Nigeria, we can recognize four outstanding examination bodies as being solely
responsible for the regulation and management of qualifying examinations. They
include: the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), National
Examination Council (NECO), West African
Examination Council (WAEC) and the
National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB). To gain admission
into any tertiary Institutions in Nigeria however, interested candidates must
have passed examinations administered by any of the last three examination
bodies at lease at credit levels sequel to that administered by JAMB as a
qualifier (on attainment of a certain cut-off mark) for admission
consideration. But then, passing all these is indeed not an automatic qualifier
for admission into the higher institution today in Nigeria. Perhaps that was
the trend before the POST UTME (popularly known as “Aptitude Test”) was
introduced in the year 2005.
University
admission process in the nation had reached its lowest state, there was indeed
so much debacle in the system. It was no more a platform of integrity as
virtually all examination bodies in the country had lost their facades to
integrity. It became a huge rumpus, a cash and carry affair where the highest
bidder had the day. Honesty became relegated to the background as industrious
students with scores high enough to be granted admission to study their choice
courses were denied same if they would not “meander” their way through. Instead
crooks and charlatans who could maneuver they ways and beat the polity through
got admission, making mass cheating a baloney of the entire admission system in
the country. This is how things nose-dived for the worst in the Nigerian Tertiary
admission process, the aftermath which of course could not be far-fetched as
dullards roamed the streets and lanes of our tertiary institutions especially
the universities for many years. Employ-ability of graduates hence became an
issue to contend with, as most Nigerian graduates at the time could not just
fit into the job market effectively, since most had virtually nothing to offer.
The rot in the labour force had its root in our universities and polytechnics. Then,
came the need for a fresh injection into the system once again.
So,
after a lot of evaluations and considerations had been made by concerned
authorities in the Nigerian University communities, a submission was made to
the Nigerian Universities Commission for its express permission to introduce
the Post-UTME. This was because a time came when Universities could only
sanitize its products via very rigorous semester examinations administered to
checkmate imbalances in the system then, since the sole entry point was JAMB,
and nothing else.
The
concept behind the Post-UTME was to underscore large admission frequency of
meritorious candidates, exclusive of biased consequences. It soon became a
stable gateway through which meritorious candidates gained admission without
undue favoritism and victimization. It indeed became an intervention mechanism
for dictating the appropriate method of admission without malpractice or
injustice. But then, this was not without some noticeable challenges.
Although
the Post-UTME has proved a formidable medium for purging the Nigerian education
system of refracts, it is not an entirely perfect system completely devoid of
certain anomalies. One of the odds of the Post-UTME is the high Post-UTME fees
charged by concerned Universities and other tertiary institutions in the country,
and this does not in any way assure a candidate of admission after the
Post-UTME. But with the situation at present, this situation has today been
highly ameliorated as candidates would not have to pay for Post-UTME in six
institutions as was the case before this year, (2014). As at 2013, candidates
would pay for Post-UTME in at least four tertiary institutions, since the
colleges and polytechnics soon began conducting Post-UTME for their candidates.
This year (2014) however, candidates would pay for Post-UTME in just one
university and perhaps in one polytechnic, since the system has been augmented
to just one tertiary institution per candidate instead of dual options. The
cost of this Post-UTME fees is also not high.
But
as JAMB argues, the tertiary institutions seem to be usurping its statutory
functions as the body instituted by law to conduct entrance examinations into
Nigerian tertiary institutions. This argument is however baseless as it is well
known that the Post-UTME was introduced due to the ineptness of the Joint
Admissions and Matriculations Board to exercise its franchise effectively,
hence the introduction of the Post-UTME. So saying that the conduct of the
Post-UTME by institutions is broad day robbery may not carry any substance
after all. But before conclude, let us not forget that it is still the same
people in the same position performing this time, different roles. So we may be
tempted to ask, “whose blood runs in their veins?”
As
the tertiary institutions equally submit however, lack of enough space to
settle the candidates admitted by JAMB, aside from its resolve to
streamline and sanitize its system , informed the decision
to introduce the Post-UTME in 2005,during which time it was mostly the
administration of live oral interviews to all candidates, before the introduction
of paper and then computer-administered Post-UTME by the tertiary
institutions.
Whatever
the shortcomings of the Post-UTME however, it can be noticed that since its
introduction as a rescue mechanism towards addressing the fallen standards of
Nigeria education system, noticeable and encouraging results have been realized,
at least if not to the later, then to a
very large extent. The situation speaks for itself, needless of mention.
It
is hoped that at last, the lost glory of the Nigeria tertiary education system
will be fully restored. This blog, www.writeshub.com is just another milestone development by concerned Nigerians towards the provision
of useful information and materials that will help all Post-UTME candidates as
well as students and other candidates prepare properly for success at their respective
examinations and studies. We therefore urge you to keep an eye here
periodically for latest updates. A lot
has been put together for your delight and success. Some of these include,
Compiled Post-UTME Past Questions, Post-UTME Updates (on site, email and SMS),
Post-UTME Tutorials etc. Welcome to The
Mother Of Nigeria Education Portals – www.writeshub.com
Search Below for More Information
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