The post-UTME test began on
June 18 but the next day, it was
cancelled. The University of
Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) has
rescheduled it for July 27 and 28,
but the applicants are
demanding an explanation on
what happened.
They were eager
to write the post-Unified Tertiary
Matriculation Examination (UTME)
which was initially slated for
June 18 and 19. The test began
on June 18, but was postponed
the next day because of what
was disclosed as “a breach of
process.” The University of
Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) has now
fixed the test for July 27 and 28.
The applicants are aggrieved.
They said the university’s public
apology is not enough to
assuage what they called the
‘unquantifiable’ suffering. They
were made to go through; they
are also asking UNN to provide
centres outside the university
where candidates can rewrite
the examination where they
reside.
Meanwhile, the university has
dispelled rumours that the
leakage of the examination
papers was responsible for the
postponement.
The test started on June 18, with
students in the faculties of
Biological and Pharmaceutical
Sciences before it was cancelled
the next day. Candidates in the
faculties of Social Sciences and
Arts were worst hit.
A statement by the university
attributed the cancellation to “a
breach of the process”.
The statement reads in part:
“University of Nigeria postponed
the examination earlier this
month following a breach of the
process and the management’s
insistence on maintaining the
integrity of the UNN process and
examinations.
“The Vice-Chancellor and
university management regret
the inconvenience caused
prospective students and their
parents by the previous
cancellation. However, the
university insists the pain was
necessary to avoid damage to
the integrity of the institution
through a flawed examination
process.”
But the candidates are
demanding an explaination of
what the university mens by “a
breach of the process” if truly
the examination papers were
not leaked.
The rumour last week was that
the examination questions were
leaked by an official of the
university, necessitating the
cancellation.
Efforts by our reporter to get Mr
Gabriel Ndu, communication
secretary to the Vice-Chancellor,
Prof Barth Okolo, to speak on the
cause of the cancellation failed.
he was not willing to speak
beyond the official statement
issued.
“See, my friend,” Ndu told this
reporter on phone, “people have
been saying a lot of things as
reasons for the cancellation. I
understand why you want me to
throw more light on what we
meant by ‘a breach of process’.
But I advise that you do not get
involved in conspiracies. All I
know is that the university has a
standard and we do not want it
compromised.”
Many candidates who arrived in
the state for the examination left
bitter. They travelled from
distant places to write the
examination.
Because of the examination,
many hotel operators increased
lodging fees. Sources also told
The Nation that some lecturers
made their Boys Quarters
available to those who could
pay. Some students also turned
their hostels to ‘guest houses’ for
money.
Transporters, food vendors and
sellers of various items, such as
stationery, also made brisk
business.
A candidate, Gloria Ogwoma said
she paid N500 instead N250 as
transport fare from Enugu to
Nsukka and N3,000 instead of
N2,500 to return to Abuja where
she lives.
“I was lucky not to have paid
hotel accommodation because a
Good Samaritan, who is a friend
to my parents, offered me one.
But I appeal to the university to
please help us,” Ogwoma said.
Sola Adeoye, another candidate
who travelled from Ogun State,
was not too lucky. Besides, the
long journey which made him
tired on arrival, he paid N4,000
for accommodation in a room he
described as ‘totally substandard’
“The hotel room was so poor,
and because there was no
insecticide, I suffered mosquito
bites till daybreak. The toilet was
also bad. But what could I have
done? I arrived this place about
11pm on Monday (last Monday);
and the hotel management told
me that was the only room
available as other rooms had
been booked. I then told myself I
was not here to enjoy hotel
facilities but to write my
examination, so, I had to endure
the pains.”
He added: They (UNN) should
give a specific reason why the
examination was cancelled. They
initially said the examination
leaked; now they are saying
another thing.”
Chima Eze (not real names) who
came for the examination from
Lagos also has an ugly story to
tell. Though she arrived early on
Sunday, she is thanking God for
not falling into the hands of
conmen.
She told this reporter on phone:
“Some guys came to me and said
they could help me link up with
some powerful people in the
university who could help me
perfect my admission if I could
pay N50,000.
“They even promised to help me
get the post-UTME question
papers that day for N5,000.
When I refused, they kept
pestering me. I later realised they
were fraudsters taking
advantage of many of us
desperate for admission. I even
heard some fell prey.”
On the new dates for the
examination, she said: “If the
university cannot give us a
genuine reason for cancelling
the exam, then it means their
action is not fair. They should
not only offer public apology but
make provision for outreach
centres where those of us from
outside the state can write the
exam in designated states where
we reside.”
Another candidate, who pleaded
not to be mentioned, demanded
public apology in national
newspapers and not just some
statement from UNN. He also said
he would not attend the
rescheduled exam except it
holds in Lagos where he lives.
“The university knows many of
us need this admission
desperately; that is why they
took advantage of us by
cancelling the exam without
giving any thought to our
predicaments. If this happens in
a private university, I’m sure
they will make some
arrangement to make the
rescheduled assignment more
flexible for candidates because
candidates’ parents won’t take it
lying low,” he said.
The UNN, however, said the
management was not
considering a refund of
candidates’ fees. It was also
silent on whether it would heed
the candidates’ request for
designated centres outside the
university.
Culled from Myschoolcomm
Share this information with friends.
June 18 but the next day, it was
cancelled. The University of
Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) has
rescheduled it for July 27 and 28,
but the applicants are
demanding an explanation on
what happened.
They were eager
to write the post-Unified Tertiary
Matriculation Examination (UTME)
which was initially slated for
June 18 and 19. The test began
on June 18, but was postponed
the next day because of what
was disclosed as “a breach of
process.” The University of
Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) has now
fixed the test for July 27 and 28.
The applicants are aggrieved.
They said the university’s public
apology is not enough to
assuage what they called the
‘unquantifiable’ suffering. They
were made to go through; they
are also asking UNN to provide
centres outside the university
where candidates can rewrite
the examination where they
reside.
Meanwhile, the university has
dispelled rumours that the
leakage of the examination
papers was responsible for the
postponement.
The test started on June 18, with
students in the faculties of
Biological and Pharmaceutical
Sciences before it was cancelled
the next day. Candidates in the
faculties of Social Sciences and
Arts were worst hit.
A statement by the university
attributed the cancellation to “a
breach of the process”.
The statement reads in part:
“University of Nigeria postponed
the examination earlier this
month following a breach of the
process and the management’s
insistence on maintaining the
integrity of the UNN process and
examinations.
“The Vice-Chancellor and
university management regret
the inconvenience caused
prospective students and their
parents by the previous
cancellation. However, the
university insists the pain was
necessary to avoid damage to
the integrity of the institution
through a flawed examination
process.”
But the candidates are
demanding an explaination of
what the university mens by “a
breach of the process” if truly
the examination papers were
not leaked.
The rumour last week was that
the examination questions were
leaked by an official of the
university, necessitating the
cancellation.
Efforts by our reporter to get Mr
Gabriel Ndu, communication
secretary to the Vice-Chancellor,
Prof Barth Okolo, to speak on the
cause of the cancellation failed.
he was not willing to speak
beyond the official statement
issued.
“See, my friend,” Ndu told this
reporter on phone, “people have
been saying a lot of things as
reasons for the cancellation. I
understand why you want me to
throw more light on what we
meant by ‘a breach of process’.
But I advise that you do not get
involved in conspiracies. All I
know is that the university has a
standard and we do not want it
compromised.”
Many candidates who arrived in
the state for the examination left
bitter. They travelled from
distant places to write the
examination.
Because of the examination,
many hotel operators increased
lodging fees. Sources also told
The Nation that some lecturers
made their Boys Quarters
available to those who could
pay. Some students also turned
their hostels to ‘guest houses’ for
money.
Transporters, food vendors and
sellers of various items, such as
stationery, also made brisk
business.
A candidate, Gloria Ogwoma said
she paid N500 instead N250 as
transport fare from Enugu to
Nsukka and N3,000 instead of
N2,500 to return to Abuja where
she lives.
“I was lucky not to have paid
hotel accommodation because a
Good Samaritan, who is a friend
to my parents, offered me one.
But I appeal to the university to
please help us,” Ogwoma said.
Sola Adeoye, another candidate
who travelled from Ogun State,
was not too lucky. Besides, the
long journey which made him
tired on arrival, he paid N4,000
for accommodation in a room he
described as ‘totally substandard’
“The hotel room was so poor,
and because there was no
insecticide, I suffered mosquito
bites till daybreak. The toilet was
also bad. But what could I have
done? I arrived this place about
11pm on Monday (last Monday);
and the hotel management told
me that was the only room
available as other rooms had
been booked. I then told myself I
was not here to enjoy hotel
facilities but to write my
examination, so, I had to endure
the pains.”
He added: They (UNN) should
give a specific reason why the
examination was cancelled. They
initially said the examination
leaked; now they are saying
another thing.”
Chima Eze (not real names) who
came for the examination from
Lagos also has an ugly story to
tell. Though she arrived early on
Sunday, she is thanking God for
not falling into the hands of
conmen.
She told this reporter on phone:
“Some guys came to me and said
they could help me link up with
some powerful people in the
university who could help me
perfect my admission if I could
pay N50,000.
“They even promised to help me
get the post-UTME question
papers that day for N5,000.
When I refused, they kept
pestering me. I later realised they
were fraudsters taking
advantage of many of us
desperate for admission. I even
heard some fell prey.”
On the new dates for the
examination, she said: “If the
university cannot give us a
genuine reason for cancelling
the exam, then it means their
action is not fair. They should
not only offer public apology but
make provision for outreach
centres where those of us from
outside the state can write the
exam in designated states where
we reside.”
Another candidate, who pleaded
not to be mentioned, demanded
public apology in national
newspapers and not just some
statement from UNN. He also said
he would not attend the
rescheduled exam except it
holds in Lagos where he lives.
“The university knows many of
us need this admission
desperately; that is why they
took advantage of us by
cancelling the exam without
giving any thought to our
predicaments. If this happens in
a private university, I’m sure
they will make some
arrangement to make the
rescheduled assignment more
flexible for candidates because
candidates’ parents won’t take it
lying low,” he said.
The UNN, however, said the
management was not
considering a refund of
candidates’ fees. It was also
silent on whether it would heed
the candidates’ request for
designated centres outside the
university.
Culled from Myschoolcomm
Share this information with friends.