Post-UTME: VCs bow to FG, stop screening tests

Vice chancellors of federal and state universities have bowed to the Federal Government directive to stop the post-UTME/screening tests and payment of administrative charges by candidates seeking admissions for the 2016/2017 academic session.

The vice chancellors decided to obey the government directive after a meeting with the representative of the Ministry of Education. They met with government officials a day after the education minister reinstated government’s position on the ban on post-UTME/screening test.

The universities helmsmen threw in the towel after meeting with the education ministry and Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) officials on June 28 and 29.

A source at the education ministry said universities that had conducted the test were reluctant to refund the money while others were working out modalities to pay back the candidates.

Daily Sun gathered that the vice chancellors attended the meeting prepared to defend their stand, but were disappointed when the minister told them that scrapping of the post-UTME was final.

A source at the meeting said the minister told the vice chancellors in clear terms to cancel the screening test while those who had conducted the exercise were instructed to refund the money to the respective applicants.

In line with the Federal Government’s directive, the vice chancellors directed the postponement of the screening test while those that had started the exercise suspended it.

Meanwhile, management of University of Benin (UNIBEN), on its website, informed prospective applicants that the on-going screening test had been cancelled in line with the Federal Government’s directive.

Public Relations Officer of UNIBEN, Mr. Michael Osasuyi confirmed that the university management had complied with the government directive, adding that refund would be made to candidates.

On the website of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun (FUPRE), candidates were informed that the 2016/2017 admission screening exercise had been suspended, but the institution was silent on what becomes of applicants who had paid for the test.

The Lagos State University’s (LASU) Acting Head of the Centre for Information, Press and Public Relations (CIPPR), Mr. Martins Adekola disclosed that the university’s management would soon meet over the screening test to take a position on the directive.

University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) on its website said the 2016/2017 admission screening exercise has been postponed and did not give further details.

Investigations by Daily Sun revealed that some private universities are requesting prospective students to pay for the admission exercise through the banks but remained silent on screening test.

Deputy Director of Press and Public Relations of the Ministry of Education, Abuja, Mr. Ben BemGoong, confirmed the minister met last Tuesday with the Committee of Vice Chancellor (CVC), saying it was expected that each university management would implement the government’s directive.