SIR: Deja vu! We’ve been here before, over and over again. Each time, disapproval is impossible to rein in. What should have been routine policy measures keep triggering off potshots. You know the story: JAMB reintroduces Post-UTME (many candidates’ blood pressure rise at that), and cut-off mark for admission consideration is 120 minimum (so gracious what!). That sets Nigerians off on complaining mode again.
They say it is “politics”, a way of squeezing money out of helpless admission-seekers, a ploy to increase advantage of a part of the country that lacks what it takes to compete in fair academic contest for tertiary school slots. And the hoopla goes on, not without justification, anyway. What none of the opponents is openly telling us: “hmm, my country-man, the way this country is eh, I don’t trust you, you don’t trust me, so any plan you come up with, I fear, must have been made to enrich or favour you and your people, putting me and my people at a disadvantage”.
Calamity of a nation! Hence, JAMB is confused. Not because of incompetence, but the admission umpire is bombarded with demands from all sorts of interest groups in high and low places, some too powerful for them to resist.
The decision to bring back Post-UTME tests was reached at the policy meeting on plans and modalities for the conduct of admissions into tertiary institutions on August 22, at the National Judicial Institute, Abuja. To come off with clean hands, escaping the usual accusation of bias, JAMB had allowed tertiary school heads and other non-government stakeholders at the conference to decide what UTME score should be minimum requirement. JAMB maintains that institutions’ senates retain the prerogative to decide their own admission scores which may be higher than this nationally-fixed minimum. The admission body also addressed concerns of candidates and private universities by creating CAPS – Central Admissions Processing System – which would make it possible for applicants rejected by their choice institutions to seek admission elsewhere. CAPS also provides a platform for schools to go in search of qualified candidates who in turn are free to reject the offer and have unlimited admission options, provided they have scored the minimum 120 in Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
Agreements reached at that meeting should not have raised much dust if Nigerians trusted one another. Institutions that think they are too big to take a mere 30% cut-off mark are free to set a higher requirement. Admission options can be effectively graded: high scorers get admitted in higher-standard institutions, while those with low scores find placement in less prominent schools. That’s if the claim that higher UTME score equals high academic competence holds true. Moreover, the extra admission options through CAPS should lay to rest the problem of candidates who get jammed in JAMB every year, simply because they could not find a place in their schools of first, second or third choice. But no, Nigerians must kick – they always kick – even if the kick results in stillbirth.
In truth, JAMB is not the problem. Distrust is the matter, while nepotism and perversion of standards fuel this state in which nothing is ever accepted as good for all. It’s no use arguing about effects rather than causes. We will not get out of this quagmire anytime soon, for it takes a long time to reset minds of people so they can believe that government and leaders of public institutions ever have good intentions. Don’t forget that leaders in more ways than one take dubious actions that erode public confidence. You cannot win citizens’ trust when, as a leader, you serve the interest of one group over another. As a consequence, people’s minds get made up to resist every decision you make. You cannot change the people’s minds, except there are changed hearts. Positively changed hearts give birth to altruistic actions and selfless leadership. As people with changed hearts act unselfishly and the thing catches on, virtue becomes the norm, then society produces leaders that can be trusted. Until then, we must live with this burden – the burden of distrust.
- Edidiong Esara,
Ritman University, Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State.