UNIBEN SUSPENDS POST-UTME

Alexander Okere, Benin

The management of the University of Benin, Edo State, has announced the suspension of its post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

The announcement was made barely 24 hours after the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, instructed the nation’s tertiary institutions to stop the conduct of the exercise.

“If any tertiary institution has conducted the post-UTME, such an exercise stands annulled and money taken from candidates must be returned immediately,” Adamu had said in a statement through the Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations, in the ministry, Mr. Ben Mem Goong.

The Public Relations Officer of the university, Mr. Michael Osasuyi, told The PUNCH on Tuesday that the suspension was with immediate effect and in compliance with the Federal Government’s directive.

“We are suspending this exercise now, in compliance with the Federal Government directive. We are suspending forthwith,” Osasuyi said.

The screening was scheduled begin on June 27 and last for two weeks.

It was also learnt that some candidates, whose tests were supposed to take place on Monday and Tuesday showed up for the exercise before they were informed of the suspension.

But the university’s spokesman called for calm, adding that the institution would communicate further information on the suspension to its prospective students.

“They (candidates) should just be calm and rest assured that the University ‎of Benin will not in any way flout the Federal Government’s directive and will not in any way undermine their choice for the university,” he said.