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By Mu’awiya Shuaibu
Gaining admission into Nigerian varsities is no longer easy as it was in the past. Each academic session, these universities receive thousands of applications from candidates seeking admission into
various programmes.
In 2016 alone a total of 1,589,175 candidates applied for JAMB examination. Most of these institutions accommodate only about thirty percent of the applicants.
Take for instance the 2016/2017 academic session admission of University of Maiduguri, over 4,5000 candidates applied for admission.
Base on the quota given to the University by National Universities Commission (NUC) the University admitted only 9000 applicants.
Going by this statistics, the University admitted only twenty percent of the applicants, leaving greater percentage without admission. The admission has ultimately become competitive. To some people, they see successful ones that got admission as either the most connected or highly placed candidates.
The disturbing issue now is not all about securing admission but to becleared by the various departments. This session in University of Maiduguri came with complains of candidates got admission but could not be cleared. The clearance process generates different reactions from both the students and the public.
The question repeatedly asked by many people is why do students given admission but had to returned to their homes at the end without being cleared?
Many students had prepared and gladly appeared in the institution forthe registration of their courses prior to the hard stance of the various departments. Some of these students were at those departments
first week of the registration up to the end and they were not considered.
The intricate situation involves students that got admission through UTME and DE. Some of them passed their remedial and JAMB with the required marks and still were disregarded. Most of them came from far places, unfortunately spent weeks stranded and some were seen crying
while others despondent.
In trying to depend their action, various departments complained that the students given admission exceed the number they required. The insist that some of these students came late when the required number is already full.
Again, some of these students passed their remedial and offered admission but they did not scored the required marks in their JAMB. The cut off mark for admission was pegged at 180, any candidate with
below 180 mark is denied.
But there are some that scored above 180 cut off mark, unluckily they have problem in their o’level result. It should be fail in English, Mathematics or specific subject relevant to the course they were given admission. These also suffered the same fate.
Whatever the reason, the situation is unwelcome. It is better to have pain of not getting admission than pain of not being cleared. It isgrievous to see students being treated this way.
To forestall such situation, there is need for an intimate communication between the JAMB board and the university to ensure that the admission is given to the limited number which these departments
can accommodate. The university should send the number needed for each departments to the JAMB board each session.
Those who passed the basics subjects in their o’level should only be admitted. It is one of the cretiria in selecting candidate, he must have atleast five credits including English and Mathematics in his
o’level. That should be strictly follow before given admission.
The students should note that it is a great opportunity to get admission. When they are lucky, they should be there at thedepartments for registration as early as possible.
The affected students should be given a chance of choosing other courses that they feel comfortable with.
Mu’awiya Shuaibu is 300 level student of Mass Communication
Department, University of Maiduguri.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 08059423148