Education Writers’ Association of Nigeria (EWAN), an umbrella body of reporters covering Education Beat nationwide, has applauded the return of the post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, describing it as a confirmation of the outcome of its 2016 summit.
A statement signed by its Chairman and Secretary, Tunbosun Ogundare and Mojeed Alabi, praised the Minister of Education Mallam Adamu Adamu’s directive which pegs fees to be charged by institutions at N2000 maximum, and warning schools against flouting the rule.
Adamu, it will be recalled, had in June last year axed post-UTME, saying it was more of extortion of innocent candidates by tertiary institutions. EWAN which held its maiden summit shortly after the ban, appraised the scenario and concluded that the directive need to be rescinded.
The summit had featured stakeholders comprising former education minister, former National Universities Commission (NUC) executive secretary, vice-chancellors and leadership of workers’ unions across tertiary institutions nationwide.
A communiqué issued at the end of the summit, which held at the University of Lagos August last year, stated that there was not yet a Plan B to post-UTME, and that the adoption of only WASSCE results for admission purpose, would lead to the proliferation of ‘miracle centres’ .
At the summit were both the former minister of education Prof Chinwe Obaji, who introduced the exam in 2004 as well as Prof Peter Okebukola who was the executive secretary of NUC at the time.
Meanwhile, EWAN has also called on stakeholders not to go to bed in analysing the decision of the Joint Admission Policy Committee to peg this year’s cut off marks for universities and polytechnics/colleges of education at 120 and 100 respectively of the possible 400 marks.
“Hope the higher institutions will not hide under this to further milk the innocent candidates by inviting all of them for post-UTME even when they know that their quota may have been filled,” EWAN stated.
The association, therefore, cautioned schools not to explore the development at the detriment of the innocent candidates and their already impoverished parents.
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