[b]Six months after sitting for the 2016 /2017 Universities Matriculation Examination, many candidates, especially those who applied to study in the nation’s public tertiary institutions, have yet to know their admission status.
Some candidates and their sponsors, who spoke to our correspondent on Monday, expressed disappointment that the examination body, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, has not uploaded the final admission lists several weeks after releasing the results.
The board, two weeks ago, promised to release the first batch of the lists after its officials met with other stakeholders, comprising admission officers from the various universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, at the Bayero University, Kano, Kano State, to examine the process.
Last Monday, the Head of Public Relations of JAMB, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, had stated that the lists would be out before the end of the week.
But as of Monday evening (yesterday), the board had yet to upload the lists on its website to enable candidates to access the information.
A parent and Chief Executive Officer of the Best of the World, Mrs. Joy Chinwokwu, who frowned on the delay, said it had created a lot of anxiety among the candidates and their sponsors.
The education consultant added, “The delay has created suspense for the candidates that want to know about their results. It is also making them not to explore other options, such as registering for the advanced level examinations. This delay is not good for the system.
“However, I blame the whole thing on lack of communication. The initial breakdown in communication between the Federal Ministry of Education and the vice-chancellors contributed to this. The initial directive to the universities without discussing with their authorities on the admission modalities for the year caused all of these. It also points to lack of policies and that we roll out directives without thinking them through.”
Also, a group, the Education Rights Campaign, has urged the Minister of Education, Mr. Adamu Adamu, to intervene in ending the development, which it described as an “unpalatable one.”
The ERC, through its Coordinator, Mr. Hassan Taiwo, said the controversies that had greeted this year’s UTME had made the candidates to be unsure of their future.
He said, “The many crises that accompanied this year’s UTME are disturbing. The minister of education must realise that the confusion in this year’s UTME has created all manner of controversies. One cannot understand why many months after the examination, candidates have not known their admission status. It is an unpalatable development. The contradictions in this year’s UTME portray a grave risk for the education sector. The minister should not remain silent on this issue. Nigerians expect him to help to address the issue urgently.”
A candidate, Gloria Onah, also decried the development, saying that the delay had altered her programme.
Onah, who applied to study Law at the Enugu State University of Technology, said, “As it is now, I cannot take any major academic decision. For months now, I have been battling to know the academic path to follow and just a few months to the end of the year, I am still unsure of my admission status this year. It is high time that JAMB concluded the process so that we can know our fate.”
Meanwhile, findings by our correspondent show that many private universities have already offered their candidates admissions for the 2016/2017 academic session. Among such institutions are the Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, and the Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, also in Ogun State.
Also, some public universities, such as the University of Benin, Edo State, will resume the 2016/17 academic session without their 100 level students.
A statement from the university, signed by its Registrar, Mrs. O Oshodin, urged all old students to return to the campus for the new session on September 22.
The statement added that lectures would commence on September 26......
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@eliboy @ele1 @victoriouschild pls bring ur register for the jambites in the house to know what's going on
