Library Philosophy and Practice 2010

ISSN 1522-0222

Post-UME Screening Examination in Nigerian Universities: The University of Education, Ikere-Ekiti (Tunedik) Experience

Isaac Oluwadare Busayo
Nimbe Adedipe Library
University Of Agriculture
P.M.B.2240,Abeokuta
Ogun State, Nigeria

Introduction

Like other countries, Nigeria has a body that regulates educational qualifying examinations. Four prominent public examination bodies in Nigeria are the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), headed by Professor Dibu Ojerinde, the National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB), headed by Professor David Awambor, the National Examination Council (NECO), headed by Professor Promise Okpala, and the West African Examination Council (WAEC), headed by Dr. Iyi Uwadiae (Idoko 2008). It is mandatory that candidates seeking admission to any of the university in Nigeria, whether federal, state, or private, take and pass the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Examination before being considered for the Post-University Matriculation Examination screening, conducted by each university before the admission of these who qualify or pass.

TUNEDIK

The University of Education, Ikere-Ekiti (TUNEDIK) was established in 2007 by the administration of Governor (Engr) Adebayo Segun Oni of Ekiti State, Nigeria and approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC) on January 20, 2008 as the 31st state university and the 92nd university in Nigeria. (Ogunyemi 2008).

Universities in Nigeria

The Federal Military Government in Nigeria established six additional universities in 1976 in addition to the seven existing ones (Idoko (2008). The number of universities and degree-awarding institutions in Nigeria date has increased considerably. The list as contained in the 2008 JAMB Brochure includes:

• Federal Universities: 16
• Universities of Agriculture: 3
• Federal Universities of Technology: 5
• State Universities: 21
• Universities of Education: 2
• State Universities of Technology: 4
• Private Universities: 22
• Other Degree Awarding Institutions: 19
• Total: 92

History of Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB)

Prior to the establishment of JAMB in 1978, each university was responsible for the conduct of its own concessional examination and admitted its own students. This system had serious limitations and was inefficient. The committee of Vice-Chancellors was concerned about this problem. Consequently, the government set up a National Committee on University Entrance Examination under the Chairmanship of Mr. M. S. Angulu and that Committee recommended setting up JAMB.

In 1987, the Board performed the exemplary feat of printing examination materials in Nigeria. Since then, the Board's question papers have always been produced and answer scripts processed in Nigeria (Idoko 2008). JAMB has introduced e-registration to reduce stress and replace the cumbersome process of registration, in which candidates have to travel to purchase and submit JAMB forms. Other problems included locating examination centers and accessing results.

Introduction of Post-UME Screening by Universities

Amatareotubo (2006) describes how the federal government of Nigeria introduced the policy of Post-JAMB screening by universities in 2005, through the Minister of Education, Mrs. Chinwe Obaji. This policy made it mandatory for all tertiary institutions to screen candidates after their JAMB results and before giving admission. Candidates with a score of 200 and above would be shortlisted by JAMB and their names and scores sent to their universities of choice which would screen again using aptitude tests, oral interviews, or even another examination. Obaji asserts that some candidates scored 280 and above in JAMB but could not score 20 percent in the post-JAMB examination, believing that those students must have cheated on their JAMB examinations and could not pass the Post-JAMB examination because there was no way to cheat.

Literature Review

Scholars have argued for and against the Post-Universities Matriculation Examination (UME) in Nigerian universities. Sobechi (2008) quotes the Vice-Chancellor of Ebonyi State University (EBSU), Professor Fidelis Ogah, as saying that he had refused to bow to pressure to conduct Post-UME tests because most institutions have turned it to a goldmine. Ogah alleged that most Nigerian universities that conduct Post-UME do so primarily to wring money from rich parents, whose children could not be admitted using JAMB results. Ogah stated that he had ignored pressure to conduct the test, pointing out that if he lacked confidence in the credibility of JAMB, he would lack confidence in a post-UME examination as well.

Similarly, during the 33rd and 34th convocation ceremony of the University of Benin, President Musa Yar'Adua of Nigeria, through the Director of Tertiary Education in the Federal Ministry of Education, Dr. Emmanuel Okon, remarked that the PUME may be cancelled if complaints against its conduct by students, parents, and guardians persist (Aliu 2008).

The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), the statutory body assigned to conduct admission examinations, and the National Universities Commission (NUC) have been directed to streamline Post-UME screening in order to avoid government intervention and the elimination of Post-UME screening. The JAMB Registrar, Professor Dibu Ojerinde, also lamented that universities have turned the UME screening into a money-making venture, as reported by Badmus and Idoko (2008). The House of Representatives Committee on Education in their oversight visits to educational agencies learned that universities had turned the screening of students seeking admission into a money-making venture. To stem the trend, the Chairman of the Committee, Honourable Farouk Lawan, suggested the need to call a stakeholders' meeting on the issue.

As the NUC began the accreditation of universities in 2009, Professor Peter Okebukola, the immediate past Executive Secretary of NUC and a member of the panel set to study university administration, said that institutional accreditation would precede course accreditation in Nigerian universities, noting that Nigeria, unlike the US, Europe, and Asia, only carried out course accreditation without accrediting the institutions offering these programmes (Makinde 2008).

Okebukola stated that this practice was one of the factors responsible for the quality of products turned out of the nation's tertiary institutions. He explained that institutional accreditation would consider the quality of students being admitted, staff, facilities, learning environment, and the university management. Okebukola stressed the need for graduates who are nationally relevant and globally competitive.

Some students employ unethical means to pass JAMB on their first attempt, while others do nothing of the kind. Clarence Peters states that, “when I finished Secondary School, I sat for JAMB because we had some financial difficulties and also to fulfill all righteousness, and, thankfully, I failed” Lawal (2008). Ogunleye (2008) reports that the Wesley University of Science and Technology (WUSTO), established by the Methodist Church Nigeria (MCN), licensed by the Federal Government in May 2007, has conducted its first UME screening. Oyedele (2008) quotes the University of Ado Ekiti Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dipo Kolawole, a well-known supporter of the post-UME test, as saying that “in the past a student will score 289, automatically he comes in, but with the Post-UME now, you find that such a student is scoring a very poor mark. They cannot even write. If we desire sanitation of our educational system … it does not make sense for anybody to be against the post-UME. If there are other built in mechanisms to purify the admission process … it should be a welcome idea..”

Makinde (2009) states that Professor Philip Abiodun, The Vice-Chancellor, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, has asserted that “two exams are not too many to sieve qualified candidates from those who cheated to pass.” He observed that after comparing the results of the two exams one would be able to know who truly passed and who cheated. He noted that while some students scored very high marks in JAMB, they scored very low on the post-UME.

Post-UME Screening Examination at TUNEDIK

The University of Education Ikere-Ekiti (TUNEDIK) officially opened in May 2008. To allow prospective candidates to apply, those who earlier applied to JAMB, wrote the 2008 Universities Matriculation Examination, and attained the prescribed national minimum score were asked to apply to TUNEDIK, provided they met the minimum entry requirements.

TUNEDIK conducted two Post-UME screening examinations. The first was an objective text based on the subject/course areas of the candidates while the second examination was an essay test for those who passed the first examination.

The essay examination revealed the inadequacies of some of the candidates. Many who scored high in JAMB and in the first screening examination performed badly in the essay writing. The results of the two examinations were computed to determine eligible candidates for admission.

Analysis of Findings of the Post-UME Screening

A sample of five hundred candidates was drawn. One hundred were drawn each from the Faculty of Education, Department of Educational Management, Faculty of Arts, Department of English, Faculty of Social and Management Sciences, Department of Economics, Faculty of Science, Department of Pure Sciences (Biology), and Faculty of Science and Information Technology, Department of Applied Sciences (Computer and ICT).

(a) Department of Educational Management Table IA Shows Candidates (50) who scored 200 marks and above in JAMB

Only 13 of the 50 candidates who scored 200 and above in JAMB made 40 percent (20 marks) and above in the Post-UME essay screening test, representing 26 percent.

(b) Department of Educational Management: Table 1B Shows candidates (25) who scored 190-199 marks in JAMB

Eight of the twenty-five who scored between 190-199 in JAMB, made 40 percent (20 marks) and above in the Post-UME essay screening test, representing 32 percent.

(c) Department of Educational Management: Table 1C Shows candidates (25) who scored 180-189 marks in JAMB

Table 1c above shows that only 5 of the 25 candidates who score between 180-189 in JAMB, made 40 percent (20 marks) and above in the Post-UME essay screening test, representing 20 percent.

(d) Department of English: Table IIA Shows candidates (50) who scored 200 marks above in JAMB)

Table IIA above shows a better performance as 24 of the 50 candidates who scored 200 marks and above in JAMB, made 40 (20 marks) and above in the Post-UME essay screening test, representing 48 percent.

(e) Department of Educational Management: Table IIB Shows candidates (25) who scored 190-199 marks in JAMB

In table IIB above, 9 of the 25 candidates who scored between 190-199 in JAMB made 40 percent (20 marks) and above in the Post-UME essay screening test, representing 36 percent.

(f) Department of English: Table IIC Shows candidates (25) who scored 180-189 marks in JAMB.

Table IIc above shows that 14 of the 25 candidates, who scored between 180-189 in JAMB, made 40 percent (20 marks) and above in the Post-UME essay screening test, representing 56 percent.

(g) Department of Economics: Table IIIA Shows candidates (50) who scored 200 marks and above in JAMB.

Table IIIA also shows that 27 of the 50 candidates who scored 200 marks and above in JAMB made 40 percent (20 marks) and above in the Post-UME essay screening test, representing 54 percent.

(h) Department of Economics: Table IIIB Shows candidates (25) who scored 190-199 marks in JAMB

In table IIIB, 16 of the 25 candidates who scored 190-199 in JAMB, made 40 percent (20 marks) and above in the Post-UME essay screening test, representing 64 percent.

(i) Department of Economics: Table IIIC Shows candidates (25) who scored 180-189 marks in JAMB

Table IIIC indicates that 11 of the 25 candidates who scored between 180-189 in JAMB, made 40 percent (20 marks) and above in the Post-UME essay screening test, representing 44 percent.

(J) Department of Pure Sciences (Biology): Table IVA Shows candidates (25) who scored 200 marks and above in JAMB

Table IVA above shows that 14 of the 25 candidates who scored 200 marks and above in JAMB, made 40 percent (20 marks) and above in the Post-UME essay screening test, representing 56 percent.

(k) Department of Pure Sciences (Biology): Table IVB Shows candidates (25) who scored 190-199 marks in JAMB.

In table IVB above, 9 of the 25 candidates who scored between 190-199 in JAMB, made 40 percent (20 marks) and above in the Post-UME essay screening test, representing 36 percent.

(L) Department of Pure science (Biology): Table IVC Shows candidates (25) who scored 180-189 marks in JAMB

In table IVC above, 9 of the 25 candidates, who scored between 180-189 in JAMB, made 40 percent (20 marks) and above in the Post-UME essay screening test, representing 36 percent.

(M) Department of Pure Science (Biology): Table IVD Shows candidates (25) who scored 170-179 marks in JAMB

Table IVD shows that only 2 of the 25 candidates who scored between 170-179 in JAMB, amde 40 percent (20 marks) and above in the Post-UME essay screening test, representing 8 percent.

(N) Department of Applied Sciences (Computer & ICT) Shows candidates (25) who scored 200 marks and above in JAMB

Table VA shows that 9 of the 25 candidates who scored 200 marks and above in JAMB, amde 40 percent (20 marks) and above in the Post-UME essay screening test, respresenting 36 percent.

(O) Department of Applied Sciences (Computer & ICT) Table VB Shows candidates (25) who scored 190-199 marks in JAMB

In table VB above, 9 of the 25 candidates who scored between 190-199 in JAMB, made 40 percent (20 marks) and above in the Post-UME essay screening test, representing 36 percent.

(P) Department of Applied Sciences (Computer & ICT): Table VC Shows candidates (25) who scored 180-189 marks in JAMB

Table VC above shows that 13 of the 25 candidates who scored between 180-189 in JAMB, made 40 percent (20 marks) and above in the Post-UME essay Screening test, representing 52 percent.

(Q) Department of Applied Sciences (Computer & ICT): Table VD Shows candidates (25) who scored 170-179 marks in JAMB

Table VD shows that 13 of the 25 candidates who scored between 170-179 in JAMB made 40 percent (20 marks) and above in the Post-UME essay screening test, representing 52 percent.

Summary of Tables I-V showing candidates who passed (scored 40 percent and above) in the Post-UME (essay) screening test.

The above shows that 87 of the sampled 200 candidates representing 43.5 percent did well in the Post-UME (essay) screening.

Summary of Tables I-V showing candidates who failed (scored below 40 percent) in the Post-UME (essay) screening Test.

From the above summary, 113 of the sampled 200 candidates representing 56.5 percent who failed the Post-UME screening would have been admitted automatically, were it not for the Post-UME screening that exposed their lapses.

Justification for Post-UME Screening

The Post-UME screening, especially the essay exam, has helped expose the inadequacies of some candidates. Many who scored 200 marks and above in JAMB performed below expectation in the essay test, and showed a lack of basic writing skills. Before the introduction of post-UME screening, virtually all candidates who scored 200 and above secured admission almost automatically to the university of their choice. With post-UME screening, deficiencies of the candidates are exposed, especially when they are asked to write.

In the study conducted, only 87 of the sampled 200 candidates who scored 200 marks and above in JAMB, representing 43.5 percent, passed the post-UME screening test, while the remaining 113, representing 56.5 percent, performed poorly, scoring less than 40 percent) in the Post-UME screening. This set of candidates would have been admitted on merit to their first or second choice university if there was no post-UME screening. Hence, post-UME screening should not be discarded, but should be strengthened.

Importance of the Library

The performance of candidates in the Post-JAMB screening examination reveals that most do not use the library as they should for their studies.The results also show that the reading habits of candidates and what they read must be monitored for better performance in their public qualifying examinations. This is a service that only the library can provide.The following are being recommended for enhancing candidates' writing skills:

• The library is an ideal place for reading, which candidates should not dismiss or ignore.
• Candidates must cultivate the habit of reading fiction, that is, literature and novels that would improve their spoken and written English.
• The respective libraries must be well-stocked with current books and journals for potential readers.
• Candidates must make it a point of duty to write at least one essay every two weeks to be marked by their English teacher or their parents/mentor.
• Candidates should not wait until a day or two before the examination to start reading and preparing. Whoever fails to prepare for an examination must be prepared to fail. 

Recommendations and Conclusion

This study has shown clearly that post-UME screening is a necessity for determining the suitability of candidates for admission to tertiary institutions in Nigeria. The following recommendations are made to further strengthen post-UME screening by the universities in Nigeria.

• Post-UME screening should include both objective and essay questions to determine the competence of candidates in both areas.
• Candidates who scored 180 marks and above in JAMB did very well in post-UME screening and, in some cases, better than some who scored 200 marks and above in JAMB; hence, the minimum cut-off mark for eligibility for post-UME screening should be 180 marks and above in JAMB.
• Candidates for post-UME screening should be screened for the exam and supervised during the exam to guard against cheating.
• Post-UME screening should not be a money-making activity for univerisites, but for finding the best students to boost the standard of education in Nigeria.

Admission of candidates should be based on the JAMB and post-UME performance, and not on being the highest bidder as alleged by some.

In conclusion, merit should be the sole criterion for university admission in Nigeria, the influence of parents or guardinas notwithstanding. This would motivate young people seeking university admission to work harder. Likewise, the law governing examination malpractice should be enforced and culprits sanctioned to serve as a deterrent to others. These measures would make the unviersity admission system trustworthy and strengthn the credibility of higher education in Nigeria.

References

Aliu, A.O. (2008). FG may scrap Post-UME tests by universities. The Guardian (November): 3.

Amatareotubo, M. (2006). Post-UME screening: Matters arising. Posted to the Web: 8/30/2006 5:49:17pm: amasmozimo@yahoo.co.uk.

Badmus, B. (2008). Rep's fact-finding tour on education. Nigerian Tribune (December 4): 42.

Badmus, B., & Idoko, C. (2008). Varsities conduct Post-UME test for money-JAMB Boss. Nigerian Tribune (November 19): 5.

Idoko, C. (2008). JAMB celebrates 30th anniversary. Nigerian Tribune (December 4): 26.

JAMB Brochure (2008). List of universities and degree awarding institutions in Nigeria. Chapter 4: 15-19.

Lawal, K. (2008). I sat for JAMB and thankfully, I failed - Clarence Peters. Sunday Punch (November 23): 44.

Makinde, F. (2008). NUC begins universities accreditation in 2009. The Punch (November 5): 9.

Makinde, F. (2009). Why Nigerian varsities don't have enough PhD holders-VC. The Punch (April 14): 59.

Ogunleye, O. (2008). WUSTO conducts Post-UME screening. Nigerian Tribune (November 6): 49.

Ogunyemi, E.A. (2008). The University of Education, Ikere-Ekiti: A hand- bill/release.

Ogunyemi, E.A. (2008). The University of Education, Ikere-Ekiti: Application for admission to degree programmes (2008/2009). Nigerian Tribune (Thursday 31 July): 51.

Oyedele, A. (2008). Post-UME should not be scrapped-UNAD VC. The Punch (December 30): 41.