Govt halts post JAMB tests in varsities
From Mohammed Abubakar and Rotimi Oyekanmi, Abuja
UNIVERSITIES in the country angling to conduct post-University Matriculation Examination (UME) tests for their prospective students were told by the Federal Government yesterday to put the idea on hold pending a final decision on the issue.
Disclosing this at a press conference in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Prof. Fabian Osuji said the Federal Government was still considering the matter and had not taken any decision over the proposed tests.
The minister added that until appropriate action was taken on the issue, the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is the only body legally recognised to conduct university examinations.
He also disclosed that a blueprint for the eradication of cultism in institutions of learning in the country had been approved by the Federal Government.
Osuji added that copies of the approved blueprint have been sent to heads of tertiary institutions for "immediate implementation and follow-up action."
He, however, noted that government had directed the Federal Ministry of Justice to liase the Federal Ministry of Education to produce a draft Anti-Cult bill for enactment by the National Assembly.
The minister added that the Justice Minister is also to assist the Education Ministry review and strengthen the Examination Malpractice Act 33 of 1999. Beside, he added, the Education Ministry also plans to organise a stakeholders' retreat on cultism and examination malpractice at zonal and state levels to sensitise the populace on the evil these two vices represent.
He also warned Vice chancellors and Rectors of polytechnics not to form themselves into directors over the absence of governing councils. He said "the tenure of governing council of Federal Polytechnics and Federal Colleges of Education is three years, and this expired in May 2003. That of University councils which is four years had expired in May 2004. The ministry is making every effort to reconstitute the governing councils, so that there is no gap in the governance of the institutions".
Osuji also said he was not aware that the University Autonomy Bill had been signed into law. This however contradicted the position of the chairman, Education Committee of the Senate, Abdulazeez Abubakar Ibrahim, who told journalists last week that the bill had been signed into law and had in-fact been assented to by President Olusegun Obasanjo on May 28.
However, a Ministry of Education source told The Guardian yesterday that though the bill had since been signed into law and assented to by the President, it may immediately had been withdrawn for further reconsideration.
"What happened is that immediately Mr. President endorsed the bill, his attention was drawn to some dangers inherent in the new law, which would have eroded the Federal Government's control of the universities, promptly the President to order the bill to be withdrawn", the source said.
He remarked that the demands that have been placed on the secondary school sub-sector have been enormous. He argued that recent projections by the University Basic Education (UBE) of their requirements alone gives cause for serious concern. The vast majority of secondary schools in the country belong to the state governments.
With just 102 Unity Colleges under federal supervision, the Minister said the federal authorities intended to embark on massive rehabilitation and re-equipment in the current year.
Consequently, additional classrooms, dormitories and laboratories would be provided in each of the unity schools across the country.
For instance, he said capital grants between N30 million and N40 million had been provided for each school to improve the facilities.
Additionally, he said more than N4 billion would be expended on Federal Government colleges towards improving their teaching and learning environments in the drive to enhance quality in education delivery at that level.
Osuji added that feeding and maintenance of the students are being considerably improved, manifesting in the increase in over head costs.
