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. ADEGUNLE OLUGBAMILA reports
They trooped to the university town of Nsukka in Enugu State in large numbers. 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.
They trooped to the university town of Nsukka in Enugu State in large numbers. 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.
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