The Senate yesterday finally endorsed the legality of post University and Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) thus ending the row between university authorities and the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB.Approving the report of its Senate Committee on Education, the senators urged the board to consider shifting the UME and post-UME examination from Saturday or any weekend to a week day; (Monday or Tuesday) in order to prevent impersonators during the examination.
However, expectations by public universities to generate more funds through Post UME was dashed as the Senate report barred universities from collecting more than N2000 for the exam while JAMB was asked not to collect more than N4000 per candidate.
Similarly, the Senate outlawed the operation of the so-called “Miracle Centers or JAMB Special Centers.”
The lawmakers however implored JAMB to increase penalties stipulated in existing laws for malpractices and irregularities in the conduct of admission examinations and screening, especially by staff.
The Senate meanwhile, approved the suspension or termination of appointment of any head of tertiary Institution that failed to comply with the prescribed fee of N2000 for post UME in public universities.
The lawmakers also advised that admission in a tertiary institution should not exceed the carrying capacity of the institution or its officially allocated quota in order not to over-stretch the facilities and resources.
Furthermore, the senators through the report urged the Federal Government to increase budgetary allocation to educational sector in the country and called for modification of the time table of examinations, with the aim of achieving express release of results to enable unsuccessful candidates apply to JAMB and other tertiary institutions within the same year.
Due to recent controversies that have trailed the JAMB, and universities on Post-UME, the Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i had said that JAMB and universities have legal backing to conduct exams and give admissions to suitable candidates and conduct post-JAMB exams, screen results and give admissions respectively.
She said the ministry recognises the roles played by both institutions in their zeal to give the best to the nation in which there is no contradiction and compromise as to which of the institutions does what; and thus assured that parents would not be exploited through any means.
She eulogised the qualities of JAMB, saying that it had become a benchmark for the many exam bodies as it had lived up to expectations and was one of the parastatals that the ministry was highly proud of.
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