Delta State University, Agbor denies Students’ Admission via hasty Post-UTME Exam

• WAEC withheld many schools’ results in Delta, other states
• NECO just finished marking students’ scripts few weeks ago, yet to release result
• Parents seek Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori, and the Commissioner of Higher Education’s intervention.

The euphoria that greeted the establishment of more universities in Delta State to make higher education accessible and affordable for Deltans and others is about being punctured following the recent development by the management of the University of Delta, Agbor, Delta State, (Unidel) in their current admission exercise.

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) recently announced that the results of Students in Nigerian secondary schools in their last exam have been released, but many schools have a lot of challenges with the results released.

However, investigation by Gentechnews revealed that many schools in Delta state, among others, had incomplete results as many students had some subjects as ‘outstanding’, some had withheld results and others had abysmal performance in the same exam, while few passed in all subjects.

University of Delta, Agbor, (Unidel) Delta State fixed the Post Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) even before the WAEC result was released and shifted the date to a few days after it was eventually released.

Meanwhile, some of the students who attended the Unidel, Agbor, Post UTME are lamenting that the institution want to deny them admission because their hope of using their NECO results which are yet to be released is dashed since most Delta secondary school WAEC results are also being withheld or some subjects outstanding.

“We are at a crossroads in our quest to get university education, thinking that the introduction of more universities in Delta State will make us acquire the same in our State, but Unidel, Agbor has proved us wrong with what is currently happening in the institution. The state government should intervene to save our future in getting a university education.”

Mr Austin Okpere, a parent, whose child attended the Unidel, Agbor, Post UTME exam informed Gentechnews that his ward only filled the waiting result in his form like others because he had an outstanding result in one subject which is needed for his choice of course of study.

“We are taken aback to hear that Unidel, Agbor has already released the list of admitted students from the Post UTME exam instead making those who have issues such as withheld results, outstanding result in any subjects to submit the same when WAEC releases such results.

“I also don’t know the type of pressure Unidel, Agbor is facing to use only WAEC results as the only prerequisite for admission since NECO has just finished the marking of students’ scripts about a week ago in Delta and other States. As it stands NECO will take some time to release their results to Schools. Meanwhile, Unidel, Agbor has concluded its admission. Unidel, Agbor should therefore come out clearly and let Deltans know if the NECO result is not accepted for admission into the institution.

“The Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, and the Commissioner of Higher Education, Prof Tonukari Johnbull should investigate why Unidel, Agbor undertook the admission exercise without taking into cognisance that some students may use their NECO result when it is released for admission into the institution. If the State government does not take action to revert their decision, then Delta State should be prepared to swell the rank of the population of out of school children in Nigeria, which is rising exponentially.”

Gentechnews believe that the right of children to accessible, affordable quality education is in limbo should their rights be denied or abused via bureaucratic process such as what Unidel, Agbor has set out to achieve by not considering NECO results that are yet to be released by the examination body for prospective admission seekers into the institution to use. The Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, and the Commissioner of Higher Education should investigate this matter and let the proper thing be done with students who want to use their NECO result when it is released for admission into Unidel, Agbor, Delta State.