NANS Says 120 UTME Cut-off Mark Will Encourage Indolence

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has
condemned the recent downward review of cut-off marks for admission
into tertiary institutions.

The President of NANS, Mr Chinonso Obasi in a statement on
Thursday in Abuja, said that such downward review of cut-off marks
would encourage indolence among candidates.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) had at a
stakeholders’ meeting on Aug. 22, reviewed downward the cut-off
marks for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination
(UTME).

The minimum cut off marks for admissions into universities was
fixed at 120; polytechnics and colleges of education pegged at 100,
while that of innovative enterprising institutes was fixed at
110.

The stakeholders said that institutions were at liberty to raise
their cut off marks for admission above the minimum set by
JAMB.

Obasi, however, argued that knowledge acquisition was a function
of determination and hard work, adding aspiring students should not
be encouraged to relapse into laziness.

“If over the years, students were able to work hard to meet cut
off points, it does not make any logical sense to now lower the
standard.

“The inability of any student to meet the cut-off points is a
function of outright indolence that should not be encouraged.

“The general impression is that Nigerian graduates are not
employable; therefore, lowering of standard will translate to a
disastrous outcome in the future by churning out young people who
cannot fit into the demands and expectations of the 21st
century.

“Nigerian youths are intelligent and willing to learn but
because of the enabling environment provided by tertiary
institutions abroad, Nigerian students who attend school abroad
always break records,’’ he said.

Obasi said that the 21st Century was driven by innovation and
competitiveness, adding that lowering the entering level into
tertiary institutions would kill young peoples’ zeal to step up
performance.

The NANS president said that the challenges of the tertiary
institutions in Nigeria were beyond the prospects of gaining
admission.

He listed some of the challenges facing higher education as lack
of modern day teaching facilities, low level of morale by the
teaching staff, lack of adequate facilities and lack of enabling
environment for effective learning.

Obasi urged concerned authorities to conduct a comparative study
and analysis of policies from other climes that support functional
learning in order to produce young people who would be globally
competitive.

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has
condemned the recent downward review of cut-off marks for admission
into tertiary institutions.

The President of NANS, Mr Chinonso Obasi in a statement on
Thursday in Abuja, said that such downward review of cut-off marks
would encourage indolence among candidates.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) had at a
stakeholders’ meeting on Aug. 22, reviewed downward the cut-off
marks for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination
(UTME).

The minimum cut off marks for admissions into universities was
fixed at 120; polytechnics and colleges of education pegged at 100,
while that of innovative enterprising institutes was fixed at
110.

The stakeholders said that institutions were at liberty to raise
their cut off marks for admission above the minimum set by
JAMB.

Obasi, however, argued that knowledge acquisition was a function
of determination and hard work, adding aspiring students should not
be encouraged to relapse into laziness.

“If over the years, students were able to work hard to meet cut
off points, it does not make any logical sense to now lower the
standard.

“The inability of any student to meet the cut-off points is a
function of outright indolence that should not be encouraged.

“The general impression is that Nigerian graduates are not
employable; therefore, lowering of standard will translate to a
disastrous outcome in the future by churning out young people who
cannot fit into the demands and expectations of the 21st
century.

“Nigerian youths are intelligent and willing to learn but
because of the enabling environment provided by tertiary
institutions abroad, Nigerian students who attend school abroad
always break records,’’ he said.

Obasi said that the 21st Century was driven by innovation and
competitiveness, adding that lowering the entering level into
tertiary institutions would kill young peoples’ zeal to step up
performance.

The NANS president said that the challenges of the tertiary
institutions in Nigeria were beyond the prospects of gaining
admission.

He listed some of the challenges facing higher education as lack
of modern day teaching facilities, low level of morale by the
teaching staff, lack of adequate facilities and lack of enabling
environment for effective learning.

Obasi urged concerned authorities to conduct a comparative study
and analysis of policies from other climes that support functional
learning in order to produce young people who would be globally
competitive.