Education stakeholders in Imo and Abia have called for the abolition of the post-University Matriculation Examination (UTME) screening for candidates seeking admission into higher institutions in the country, describing it as “unnecessary”.

A cross-section of people made the call in separate interviews conducted as part of a survey on the propriety or otherwise of the second qualifying examination. They stated that with the latest introduction of computers to conduct the UTME, the post UTME had lost its relevance and should be scrapped without delay.

In Owerri, a parent, Obinna Uzochi, stated that the computerbased UTME had significantly reduced the incidence of malpractice and impersonation, as well as other forms of malpractice, which the post-UTME test aimed to check. A retired principal, Rosemary Chiatula, however, differed slightly, describing the introduction of post – UTME as laud able but suggesting that its processes should be made less risky for the candidates.

S he also pointed out that the screening had also become compromised by staff of higher institutions, who allegedly sell the postUTME questions to prospective candidates ahead of the screening. Another retired educationist, Anastasia Ugoh, demanded that the screening should be stopped because tertiary institutions do not make adequate arrangements for the candidates.

A staff member of the Federal University of Technology Owerri, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the extra screening was introduced “to weed out candidates who may have scored high marks through malpractices in the UTME”.

The source added: “Because of those high scorers, the cutoff marks for admission were raised, and intelligent candidates, who could have qualified, were usually dropped in favour of those who actually did not merit the admission.” A secondary school teacher, Callistus Ibe, said the pressure of preparing for tests could cause candidates to underper.