Diverse reactions have trailed Federal Government’s decision to scrap the National Examinations Council, NECO, as well as the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations, UTME, just as the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board, JAMB, Thursday restated its commitment to conduct a hitch-free UTME examinations on April 27, 2013.
Professors Ralph Akinfeleye of University of Lagos, Florence Banku Obi of University of Calabar and Abayomi George Ojanuga of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, who are in support of the proposed scrapping said it would give true meaning to university autonomy, eliminate irregularities and help universities capture the best students.
However, Prof. Olu Jegede of Obafemi Awolowo University’s, Vice Chancellor, Caleb University, Prof. Ayodeji Olukoju and Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie, argued that the adoption of the White Paper’s recommendations would spell doom for our nation’s education sector which, they believe, would be thrown into a state of confusion.
While pointing out that the move to reduce the powers of JAMB was long overdue, Professor Akinfeleye said it would give true meaning to university autonomy.
He said: “It is long overdue. It would give true meaning to university autonomy as schools’ management would participate in the recruitment of the students as it is done in advanced climes”.
Asked if this would not breed corruption as it would be a case of selling admission to highest bidders, Akinfeleye said “It would promote pedagogical purity, quality assurance and transparency in institutions of higher learning because they would want to maintain their reputation and integrity.”
I say good riddance to the bureaucracy that was JAMB. The universities should handle their intakes as it is done all over the world, we know that it is one of those ‘chop money’ moves that has gagged us in the throat. It never really solved any pertinent problems in terms of enhancing qualitative practices to the nation’s educational system. I do understand that Nigeria’s problems are enormous but it can and must be solved by Nigerians because of our religious, political and cultural biases. The effective way forward is to do it ‘our way’….use our cultural situations to do what works for us. For NECO, I say “Change is a process, not an event.”