The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has faulted the admission guidelines newly introduced by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for universities saying the action was beyond the powers of the examination body.

ASUU while reminding the body of university autonomy maintained that only the Senate of tertiary institutions has the power to regulate admission modalities and determine what best suits the vision of each institution.

Chairman University of Ibadan (UI) chapter, Dr. Deji Omole, in his reaction said both the Education Minister, Adamu Adamu and JAMB Registrar, Prof Dibu Ojerinde, erred in their actions.

Omole said the duo appeared confused and inconsistent by first going against the collection of administrative charges under Post Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) by universities and then preaching payment of screening fees in its guidelines.

The ASUU boss said both the minister and JAMB Registrar seemed unaware of happenings in the nation’s universities as the “so-called point based scoring system” is not new.

Omole said the scoring system being introduced by JAMB was innovated and used in UI for five years and abandoned, saying the premier university has moved beyond such model of admitting students.

The ASUU boss added that the question of admission is not about the introduction of screening charges, noting that the Union will resist any attempt to trample upon university autonomy and the supremacy of the Senate of universities to regulate its admission.

If the new guideline is allowed, Omole said candidates who combined results from two sittings at O’levels would be deprived alongside awaiting result candidates.

Omole said, “JAMB is acting beyond its mandate which is to conduct examinations and release results. Only the Senates of universities have the right to determine the model or guideline to adopt to admit their students from the pool of candidates sent to it by JAMB.”

“Each university has standards which are not subjected to the whims and caprices of any government appointee. JAMB does not have the powers to tell universities how to conduct their screening. It is a way to cover up their inadequacies because JAMB credibility as an examination body is yearly being queried. JAMB and its handlers are confused.

“Last year they arbitrarily placed students in private universities to satisfy the needs of their cronies. These were mainly children of the poor who had not chosen those institutions. In the just concluded JAMB examinations, they awarded candidates with extra 40 marks without any justification. Now those with two sittings results will be shortchanged and those awaiting results will be disadvantaged. There will be a rise in result racketeering at WAEC again as people will be purchasing grade ‘A’ since that is what will guarantee admission. More miracle examination centres would spring up and both JAMB and the Minister would have succeeded in entrenching corruption and further kill University education in Nigeria.

Omole added, “ASUU stands by University autonomy. JAMB cannot determine admission guidelines for universities rather the examination body must be overhauled to make their results credible.” (The Guardian)

•Photo shows ASUU President, Prof. Abdullahi Fagge.

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