Decision To Scrap The Post-UTME Was A Mistake. Says Malam Adam Adam

The Federal Government on Tuesday revive post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (Post-UTME) screening exercise which was cancelled during 2015/2016 admission exercise. 

Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, gave the directive, regretted the earlier decision to cancel the post-UTME screening exercise as a great mistake, said that the volte-face by government was because of the economic challenges that engulfed the nation and the reality on ground.

Adam Adam, who gave the above directive during the policy meeting for the 2017/2018 admission exercise with Vice Chancellors, Rectors, Provosts, and Registrars of tertiary institutions at the National Judicial Institute, Abuja, also directed varsities to ensure that the Post-UTME exercise must be by aptitude test and that students be charged N2,000 as fees. 

He said: ’The decision to scrap the post-UTME screening exercise last year was a mistake that must not be repeated as students must be properly screened before securing final admission’’. 

Reacting to the reintroduction of Post-UTME, Dr. Adekunle Idris, immediate past Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities, Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos, hailed the decision, adding that he was 100 percent in support of the test because “it is the individual university that should determine the suitability of candidates for admission”. 

He added “The reintroduction of Post-UTME screening is good for the universities to determine the right candidates for admission. However, it is necessary for the Federal Government to regulate the amount to be charged by universities per candidate so that the right candidates are not shut out and denied access to university education”.