JAMB’s computer tests more valuable – Provost

Dr Ajayi Iyela is the Provost of Federal College of Education, Okene, Kogi State. In this interview, he speaks on the efforts in addressing funds paucity, factors responsible for falling standard of education in Nigeria and the benefits of JAMB’s computer-based Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). Excerpts:   What in your view are the factors […]

Dr Ajayi Iyela is the Provost of Federal College of Education, Okene, Kogi State. In this interview, he speaks on the efforts in addressing funds paucity, factors responsible for falling standard of education in Nigeria and the benefits of JAMB’s computer-based Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). Excerpts:
 
What in your view are the factors responsible for the fall in the standard of education in Nigeria?
There are those who averred that the standard of education has fallen in the country and hinged their argument on the low quality of graduates from our universities these days; many of them could hardly express themselves in good spoken English.
There are also those who argued that the standard of education has fallen because of the persistence poor performance of students who sat for external examinations like SSCE, NECO and NABTEB.
Therefore, there is no consensus on whether the standard of education is falling or not. However, what I will say is that there is every need for improvement in the education sector in terms of funding, engagement of quality teachers, provision of facilities and  improvement in the welfare of the teachers because teachers occupy a central position in the educational system of every country.
Parents also have significant roles to play in the effort of improving the standard of education in this country. A situation where parents devote their time and energy on the business they do without having time to check the day-to-day activities of their children, especially in the area of their studies, is detrimental to the future of such children. Therefore, until parents have a rethink and do otherwise, things will continue to deteriorate because teachers have limited time to stay with the students.
Government must provide adequate facilities, improve on the conditions of service of teachers, employ enough quality teachers and fund education adequately.
The college marks its seventh year of existence this year, what are its achievements?
 We have been able to attract many capital projects to the college. Also in terms of maintenance of peace, we have done very well to the admiration of staff, students and even the host community. In terms of academic development, we have not done badly.
For instance, students take their examinations at the stipulated time. We operate semesters devoid of strike or rancor. We follow the institution’s academic calendar religiously without any hindrance and the students get their results whenever it is time for them to have them. To that extent, students do not stay longer than necessary before they graduate.
We have also introduced new academic programmes like the Department of Adult Education and Department of Early Childhood Care Education. We are in the process of creating the School of Primary Education.
It will also interest you to know that FCE Okene is affiliated to the University of Ibadan. It is the university that ensures standards and award degree certificates to our students. I am very happy to say that our first graduands will be passing out this year; they have finished their final examination.
Just recently, a total of 229 students matriculated into the degree programme of the institution. In just three years the degree programme of the institution has grown in leaps and bound.
Out of the 229 offered admission, 143 are direct entry students while 86 are in 100 Level, and a breakdown of the figure shows that UTME has 32 males and 54 females while direct entry has 46 males and 97 females.
 How has the college been able to improve students’ welfare and academic achievement?
The relationship between the management of this college and the students is very cordial. The students give us the desired support to move the institution to another level of development.
We operate open door policy and any decision we will take that concerns the students, we always ensure that the Students’ Union Government (SUG) is part of it.
Still, as part of our effort to ensure cordiality between students and management is sustained, we make sure that basic needs of the students such as water, electricity and drugs are readily available at all times. There are regular consultative meetings with the SUG. Similarly, we hold congregational meetings with the entire students’ body.
The main challenge we are having as an institution of higher learning is funding. If we are adequately funded, there is virtually nothing we cannot do to transform this institution. We have many plans for this college, but fund is our major constraint.
In any case, the money we use in executing projects comes from the Federal Government and TETFund and we made judicious use of the funds allocated to us which is the reason we are able to embark and complete many capital project in the college.
I am a member of the Book Advisory Committee of TETFUND. I have served for three years and reappointed for another three years. What we do mainly is to recommend to TETFund those manuscripts and journals that are of quality and suitable for publication.
 What effort is the college making to improve its internally generated revenue?
The college has a guest house, sachet water factory and we are planning to venture into large-scale poultry and fish farming. We are constructing a large ICT Centre for internet services and with this, many candidates within the area who often travel far to write examination will now have the opportunity to do so in this college.
We will help them and also make money from them. All these have been put in place to improve our IGR to complement whatever we receive from government, especially now that the economy is facing problems.
 There have been calls for dissolution of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in recent time, what is your take?
In my own opinion, JAMB should not be cancelled. It has performed well. Instead, the Post-UTME examinations organized by tertiary institutions should be stopped. There is no longer any justification for the Post-UTME examinations.
This is because with the introduction of computer-based test by the Board, cases of examination malpractice and miracle centers have been reduced to the barest minimum. Therefore, the marks scored by students are reflections of their abilities. Tertiary institutions should recognize the JAMB scores instead of organizing another examination.
Colleges and universities receive computer-based test results quicker than paper-based test, and they can make their admissions decisions more quickly.
The few problems with the test recently is not an excuse to jettison it as scrapping it would mean taking the country backwards.
We should find solutions to the minor problems discovered during the last test with the intent of strengthening it.
 How do you address the menace of cultism in the college?
Well, there are some of our students who live off campus. The host community assists us to monitor them by reporting to us any unlawful act for quick action.
Within the college premises, students check themselves and report to us any vices that contravene our laid down rules and regulations. Once we suspect any of them, we investigate.
The mutual understanding within the students, the cordial relationship between the management, the students and the host community help us tremendously in tackling cultism in this institution.
 As part of our social responsibility to Otite community, this institution in the last seven years had dug boreholes to alleviate the suffering of the community especially during dry season.
We employed the youths, train them to acquire skills free of charge, consider the community in contract awards and so on. We basically identify with them in their moments of joy, pain or grieve.