‘Scrapping Post-UME ’ll Negatively Impact on Standards’

The abolition of Post-Universities Matriculation Examination by the National Assembly will have a negative impact on the standard of education in Nigerian universities, an official has said.

Mr Gbenga Omilola, the Public Relations Officer (PRO), Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijagun, Ogun State, said this in Ijebu Ode on Tuesday in an interview with newsmen.

He said the abolition of the test would give undue advantage to unqualified candidates to gain admission into Nigerian universities.

He explained that since 2005, when the test was introduced, the standards in the university system had greatly improved.

The PRO said that the test had helped the universities’ management in screening out candidates who were not eligible for admission.

Omilola said : “But with the abolition of the test, candidates who used dubious means to gain admission would have their way.”

“I want to say categorical that the test should continue because it serves as a way of sanitising admissions into Nigerian universities.”

“The test was being conducted to allow candidates who claimed to have scored high marks in UME to proof it and to defend the result.”

“If a candidate could pass UME, I don’t see any reason why he or she should fail the post-UME test, which is of the same standard with the former.

“I want to appeal to the National Assembly to allow the test to continue because it would sanitise the universities,” he added.

Omilola, however, urged universities charging exorbitant fees for the conduct of the test to reduce it to the barest minimum.

The House of Representatives had on May 27, ordered the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Universities Commission to abolish the post-UME Examination into Nigerian universities.