70/30 Grading System: Oasis Magazine Publisher Lauds DELSU VC

By Precious Okwa

Publisher of Oasis Magazine, Pastor Daniel Umukoro, has commended the Vice Chancellor of Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, Professor Samuel Asagba, for adopting a new admission screening method, following the announcement that the institution now has a new way of calculating scores for admission, which is the 70/30 grading system.

He said this in a statement made available to media houses on Friday afternoon.

Recall that before now, candidates who sat for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) organized by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) were granted admission based on their JAMB exam score that provided 50% of the screening score, while the Post UTME through examination made up the other 50%.

A statement by the university on Wednesday, said: “In this new method, 70% of a candidate’s screening score will come from their UTME (JAMB) score, and the remaining 30% from their O’Level result.”

With this development, DELSU will no longer use POST-UTME screening as a criterion to admit students as it was done in the past.

Commenting on the development, Umukoro said contrary to claims by critics of the move, the decision was a step in the right direction.

According to him, this will cut off admission racketeering that many business centers, invigilators and programmers are part of, just as he said that many of these criminals are within the university system.

He said he was aware of the case of a programmer (name withheld) in the institution that went away with over Two Hundred Million Naira (N200, 000000) last academic session.

Adding: “The said staff collected money from some candidates and altered their scores,” saying some got 100/100 as score.

“Too many unsuspecting POST-UTME candidates have been extorted by a few criminal elements within and outside the campus and if the university deemed it fit to scrap POST-UTME, then this is the way to go,” he averred.

Speaking further, he said: “In recent times JAMB has improved in the conduct of its examination. What the VC has done is novelty that should be embraced by all. Bigger universities in the South West like LASU have started it; theirs is 60/40.

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“Let us even consider the inconvenience many POST UTME candidates go through. I speak from experience because we have covered POST UTME exams before. Some persons travelling to Abraka for the screening have been involved in accidents in the past. Many have had to start looking for how to rent an apartment or where they would stay. But, this new development will put an end to all of these. I am convinced that admission seekers will be happy with this development.”

Furthermore, he said that his findings show that the process is automated.

“Once you apply, there is a link to WAEC, NECO and JAMB score and the system brings out the result of the JAMB candidate immediately based on the formula set,” Umukoro hinted.

Reacting to those opposed to the decision, he said those criticizing the 70/30 grading system may have benefitted from the old process.

He continued: “The old order promotes corrupt practices. It is those who want to manipulate the system that want POST-UMTE screening exercises to continue.

“It is an era of technology and if the VC is doing this, then he is fulfilling one of the items on his manifesto which is to digitalise DELSU.

“He has shown that he is a man who is ready for innovation. He has started transforming the university system through ICT so that students don’t need to come here again amidst all the challenges in the country. Now, they can stay in their houses and get their admission letters.

“A management source I spoke to reliably informed me that now a fresher’s first day of coming to DELSU is for resumption. The screening of students will now be automatic and online unlike then when students still go round after gaining admission for screening and often miss classes.”

Umukoro quoted the source, saying: “The sale of POST-UTME forms is for one month to end Friday, 22nd of August. It is when sales are closed that the institution will come up with the cut-off admission. Those who bought forms yesterday have seen their scores.

“The minimum cut-off market to be able to buy the form is 150. When everyone has bought, the university will now come up with a screening score which will be the cut off mark. But now we are still in POST-UTME screening process but there will be no exam again. They will get their results one minute after uploading their information to the website.

“This ICT is indigenous and was developed by a team of experts who are staff of the institution. Many have already gotten their results.

“To those saying the 70/30 grading system should be shifted, the source said the time for technology is now.

“It has been proven to be glitch and hitch-proof.”

“This is what has happened in developed countries and that is how corruption is cut off by removing human involvement and that is what the Vice-Chancellor wants to achieve now. Until you remove human factors from the admission process, people may not earn what they deserve and be admitted squarely on merit,” the publisher concluded.