Confusion prevails over post-matric exam announcement

Confusion prevails in the wake of the announcement by the Nigerian Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board of the dates for the 2018 Post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (Post-UTME) – a rescreening examination conducted by individual universities that was declared invalid by a high court judge on 1 March.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) indicated it would appeal the court ruling outlawing the 13-year-old practice of re-screening university candidates who have already passed the national admission test known as the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). The appeals process is still under way.

According to a local news report on 27 June, the announcement of the exams was made by JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, at a policy meeting held at Gbongan, Osun State, attended by vice-chancellors of universities, rectors of polytechnics and provosts of colleges of education. According to the announcement, the new exam period is 2 July to 16 October; while second choice admissions would be from 17 October to 17 December.

Controversies

The Post-UTME has been plagued by controversy since its introduction under former president Olusegun Obasanjo in 2002. At the time it was aimed at addressing serious discrepancies between the JAMB results and first-year performance of admitted students. Its introduction was supported by the Academic Staff Union of Universities and National Universities Commission who saw it as a way to stop malpractices in student admissions, including the hiring of candidates, known as mercenaries, to sit the UTME.

The introduction of the Post-UTME was attended by many complaints. Parents accused the tertiary institutions of charging exorbitant and extortionist fees for the exam. There were also claims the screening test was technically illegal as the law creating UTME made no provision for the Post-UTME.

The government’s reactions to criticism over the years has been contradictory and inconsistent. According to sources close to the presidency a new draft law was prepared to accommodate the Post-UTME, but this was “flatly rejected” by most members of the National Assembly because it meant the backdoor to university entry would be closed.

“They saw merit in the necessity to integrate this fresh clause. However they rejected it for selfish reasons,” a former vice-chancellor who requested anonymity, told University World News.

An article on the Nigeria Students Forum notes that at a 2016 combined policy meeting on admissions into higher education institutions made up of vice-chancellors and the NUC, Education Minister Adamu Adamu declared the Post-UTME illegal and warned that all tertiary institutions who contravene the practice would be sanctioned.

“As far as I am concerned, the nation has confidence in what the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board is doing. The universities should not hold another examination and if the institutions have any complaint against JAMB, let them bring it and then we can address it,” he is reported to have said.

In 2017, the online report notes, the same minister declared that the federal government had lifted the ban on the controversial Post-UTME. “The ban of Post-UTME in 2016 was a mistake. I urge the institutions to conduct an aptitude test for candidates seeking admissions in higher institutions 2017-18 academic session and the charge of NGN2,000 (US$6) as fees.

"I must restate this administration’s zero tolerance for corruption and zero tolerance for exploitation. It was in line with this and with the best of intention I announced the cancellation of the conduct of Post-UTME last year.”

According to sources close to the Committee of Vice-Chancellors, the committee met with President Muhammadu Buhari, current Visitor of federal universities, complaining that some of those admitted in 2016/2017 academic session could not put together simple English sentences.

“I was present at the meeting with Buhari on this issue as an observer representing the Committee of Vice-Chancellors. After detailed explanations, the president ordered the minister of education to restore Post-UTME with a view to enhancing the integrity of the entire admissions process,” another former vice-chancellor told University World News on condition of anonymity.

Major frustration

The latest announcement of the Post-UTME dates has created major frustration in the sector.

Laide Oluwaseun, proprietor of the Royal Academy in Ibadan, said the government’s decision was not backed by any empirical evidence showing that those admitted without the test did not do well.

“I will not be surprised if next year the same government comes up with another policy on admission,” he said. “Many of the candidates prepared their mind for screening as was done in 2016 using their 'O' Level and UTME performance. This new policy will certainly unsettle many of them who have focused their mind for the screening. The government should know that policy inconsistency does not help the education sector.

“Many regional, including some federal, universities will take advantage to charge more than the stipulated fees. What did the vice-chancellors, rectors and provosts do with previous Post-UTME income? Government should ask them to account for the money realised from the conduct of previous Post-UTMEs,” he said.

Meanwhile the non-governmental organisation that brought the case against the post-UTME to court, the Legal Defence and Assistance Project, has issued a warning to managers of the nation’s tertiary institutions against conducting the Post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination and drawing attention to the court ruling and pending appeal.

Contempt of court allegations

Lawyers and university staff perceive JAMB’s actions and the government’s silence over the issue of the court order as an attempt, in part, to rubbish the judiciary.

Barrister Danladi Ibrahim said JAMB is “clearly guilty of contempt of court. It is unacceptable that a government agency should disobey the court of the land,” he said.

Barrister Lere Akanbi said it was sad that JAMB, currently headed by a professor and former vice-chancellor, would go against the rule of law. “The decision of JAMB … contravenes all known rules governing cases before the court and I think the court should react to this disrespect of the rule of law … Is JAMB not a public institution established by law?” he said.

Barrister Caleb Nwakwocha agreed that JAMB’s announcement was “tantamount to an abuse of court process”.

Academics have also expressed their outrage. Dr Abraham Nicholas of the biochemistry department at the University of Uyo said the officers of JAMB should “simply be called to order”, while Professor Ezenwa Gabriel, economics department at Nasarawa State University, called on the courts to sanction JAMB registrar, Oloyede, who had shown “blatant disobedience”.

Dr Abdulkadir Abdullahi from the political science department at Bayero University, Kano, described the announcement as “disrespect of a clear process by a public institution established by law”.

“I think we should be more circumspect. We need to know why the leadership of JAMB as a public institution would want to disrespect a public court,” he said.

Dr Basset Akpanika from the sociology department at the University of Port Harcourt drew attention to what he termed the “complicity” of the vice-chancellors, provosts and rectors of tertiary institutions in Nigeria. “They should also be held responsible for violating court processes. They simply encouraged and stood by JAMB,” he said.

Professor Henshaw Desmond of the law faculty, University of Calabar, said rather than “showcasing sophistication in conduct and respect for the rule of law”, Oloyede, a former vice-chancellor, had “openly contravened the conventional wisdom which is to assist the court to create a decent society. The university authorities are willing tools in the hands of the JAMB registrar … This is sad.”