Lafia — The management of College of Education (COE) in Akwanga, Nasarawa State realized well over N16 million naira from a week-long post-UME screening exercise. This has raised concerns from the candidates and old students alike, as well as lecturers over the hike in the screening charges of the institution.

The school recorded a total of 4,200 candidates who sat for the screening exercise which commenced on July 15, and dragged on for over a week, Daily Trust learnt. Candidates were charged N3,900 each for the exercise. The breakdown showed that N2,500 went for examination scratch card, while N1,000 was screening charge, and an additional N400 was charged each candidate as internet airtime fee.

By the total number of candidates recorded for the exercise, the management realized N16,380,000 million from them.

"We are aware of these charges, and we are worried", said Comrade Useni Abubakar Akudu, Students' Union Government (SUG) leader of the school, when he spoke briefly with Daily Trust, today.

Some consultants and lecturers at the school have raised issues with the charges, describing the development as "outrageous" on candidates, just as they demand accountability from the management.

"We realized that things are not going on well here because the management is quiet on the reasons candidates were charged this much for just post-UME. Besides, the management is not accounting for the money realized from the charges.

"The state university in Keffi, and the federal university in Lafia are not charging this high as the college. The state university charges N1,500, while the federal university just charged N2,000 each candidate. Why would our own, a small institution charge this much," queried a lecture who disclosed that staff of the college are warming up for a formal inquiry into the development.

College registrar, Mr. Audu Mangut told Daily Trust on phone that he was not comfortable with phone interview, but did not deny that the management realized over N16 million from post-UME alone, from 4,200 candidates.

In 2011, Senators condemned post-UME screening which higher institutions in the country subject candidates of JAMB to, describing it as "illegal." The Senate mandated its Committee on Education to probe the activities of universities subjecting candidates to such screening.

The decision came after a heated debate on a motion on the illegal subjection of candidates to the Post-UME examinations.