Nigeria: Undesirability of Post-Jamb Test

23 November 2008
opinion

Lagos — In the November 5, 2008 edition of one of the National dailies, the Vice Chancellor of Ebonyi State University, Professor Ogah described Post- JAMB test as nothing but a contrivance for fleecing Parents by the Officials of Nigerian Universities. I must commend him for his uncommon candour and selflessness, particularly for someone who ought to be a beneficiary of the scheme.

The main purpose of law or public policy should be to eradicate a social malady, strengthen the fabric of the society and promote the happiness of the citizenry. Till date, I have not been able to understand what the policy of Post-JAMB test aims to achieve. If it is to prevent the admission of wrong students as is being bandied by some university administrators, I can not see how examination could be used to identify or isolate potential cultists because some of them are even more brilliant than the normal students as poverty of intellect is not synonymous with proclivity to cultism. If it is to curb examination malpractices, the Universities should first of all remove the log in their eyes before removing the log in the eyes of JAMB as it is now settled that some of their Lecturers exchange marks for cash and sex. If the Universities are apprehensive of admitting inferior candidates through JAMB, they should go full hog by rejecting WAEC and NECO certificates and setting their own internal entry qualification examinations for the admission of Candidates because JAMB does not in any way determine the standard of education compared to WAEC which certifies the standard of education of its awardees. Why should JAMB be singled out? Examination malpractice is a variant of corruption just like election rigging. As our Leaders embrace short cut in electoral contest by adopting rigging, it is natural that our youths would also adopt examination malpractice as a short cut to success in the examinations. While I do not support examination malpractice in any of its ramifications, or contend that it should be tolerated because other forms of corruption have not been stamped out, it is my position that if we must eradicate examination malpractice, we must first topple the corrupt order as a whole that has inflicted the famine of values on us as a nation.

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