The Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) cut-off mark should be continuously lowered, according to stakeholders in the North-East education sector, as this will promote competitiveness and the advancement of education in the nation.
The 140 cut-off mark was agreed on July 21 by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), heads of tertiary institutions of learning, and other stakeholders for admissions in the 2022–2023 academic session.
The board decided on a cut-off score of 140 for university admission and 100 for polytechnics and institutes of education.
Stakeholders in Bauchi, Damaturu, Dutse, Gombe, Maiduguri, and Yola praised the decision as a positive development that would level the playing field for applicants to universities and other institutions.
Others condemned it as harmful to the nation's tertiary education system's long-term growth. The University of Maiduguri's Department of Sociology Science Lecturer, Mr. Mubarak Tanko, said that the institution's Post-UTME test would not be impacted by the institution's decision to decrease the cut-off level.
He claimed that the schools were free to set their own minimum score requirements for candidates to be eligible for the Post-UTME screening.
“Institutions are not allowed to set their admission cut-off mark lower than the JAMB 140 benchmark.
“This means that no public university is allowed to set its Post-UTME admission cut-off mark lower than 140 but they have the right to set it above 140. The same applies to polytechnics and Colleges of Education.
“Competitive schools will likely set their admission mark above the minimum 140 cut-off mark, especially those with high number of applicants, they might set their cut-off mark at 200 and above,” he said.
He claims that the 140 cut-off will allow applicants with scores below 200 to enrol in less selective universities across the nation.
In a same vein, Shareef Bunu, a representative of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) in Borno, stated that admission to higher institutions was not only based on UTME scores.
He claims that additional criteria for admittance include the Post-UTME, A-level requirements, O-level grades, and physical examination.
“JAMB gave the institutions free hand to consider any score they deem fit for their candidates,” he said.
According to Bunu, the decision will allow applicants with lesser marks to compete favourably and academically thrive.
Additionally, Mr. Idriss Muhammad, a resident of Bauchi, praised JAMB for the action and said it will improve the nation's access to high-quality postsecondary education.
However, Dr. Hassan Langa, Provost of the College of Education in Billiri, Gombe State, claimed that the nation's educational system is not competitive because the cut-off level for the UTME is always being lowered.
He argued that it was crucial for the relevant institutions to develop sensible regulations that would allow for competition to promote academic achievement.
He said that it was fair for students who received scores of 300, 250, and 200 to be admitted to the same university as students who received scores of 140.
“Lowering of the cut-off mark is not fair for our educational system, the one for universities should be 180, polytechnics and COEs 160 and 140 respectively.
“The 100 cut-off mark for COEs is too low considering the fact that those that will be admitted were potential teachers.
“You are now sending those with very poor performance to colleges and you expect them to become teachers in the future”.
Additionally, Pro. Salisu Rakum, a former dean of the faculty of education at the Federal University of Kashere (FUK), stated that reducing the cut-off will have a negative impact on the quality of education in the nation.
According to him, the pattern would cause students to be less dedicated to their studies, which would affect their academic results.
“COEs as potential teacher training centres needed best and competent hands because, the future of every career is in their hands,” he said.
The chairman of the Federal University Dutse branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Dr. Bashir Yusuf, who supported the prior assessment, predicted that the trend will worsen the quality of tertiary education in the nation.
He claimed that the action would result in graduates of substandard calibre who would be unable to compete with their peers throughout the world.
He claimed that because these students don't meet the prerequisite requirements and lack the capacity for advanced education, lecturers would find it challenging to train them.
He claimed that if the trend persisted unchecked, Nigeria would become permanently dependent on foreigners, particularly in the sectors of engineering, medicine, and other specialised occupations.
ASUU officials added that other barriers to getting strong results in the UTME include lack of computer literacy or access to ICT, poverty, corruption, and a poor standard of living.
“Such graduates will find it difficult to secure job in future because they cannot compete with those abroad,” Yusuf said.
In order for students to receive the necessary mark for admission to tertiary schools of learning, Bashir further emphasised the need for a group effort to address the causes of their low UTME performance.
In a similar vein, Dr. Mahdi Abba stated at a lecture at the Modibbo Adama University (MAU), Yola in Adamawa, that applicants for admission to universities should face rigorous academic requirements and tough entrance exams.
Mrs. Fatima Abubakar, a lecturer in the computer department at the Federal Polytechnic in Bauchi, ascribed the poor UTME results of students to the deteriorating quality of basic and post-basic education.
She claimed that a dearth of skilled teachers to instil in their students the necessary information and abilities had rendered the basic education level inert.
She also criticised the school administration for failing to follow the curriculum and the meddling of parents and guardians in maintaining the discipline and successful education of their children.
Mr. Idriss Jajere, a lecturer in the biological sciences department at Federal University Gashua in Yobe, suggested that the government start addressing the issue at the secondary school level in order to solve it.
He claimed that when taking the West African Examination Council (WAEC) and National Examination Commission exams, students' abilities should determine their success or failure (NECO),
The academic don urged the boarc to strictly maintain the set standard, adding that, “compromising or slashing cut-off mark will not help the system, rather worsen it”.