BENIN CITY– The University of Benin (UNIBEN) on Tuesday suspended it’s University Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) exercise following directives of the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, instructing Tertiary Institutions in the country to stop the conduct of the exercise with immediate effect.
The exercise which started on Monday June 27, 2016 against directives from the Minister of Education, who initially banned the conduct of the UTME last month following a meeting with the National University Commission (NUC).
Adamu said “If any tertiary institution has conducted the UTME, such an exercise stands annulled and money taken from candidates must be returned immediately,” stressed the minister, through the Deputy Director Press and Public Relations in the Ministry, Mr. Ben Mem Goong.
Meanwhile the Public Relations Officer (PRO) UNIBEN, Mr. Michael Osasuyi told The NIGERIAN OBSERVER in telephone on Tuesday said the suspension was in compliance with strict directives given by Federal Government.
The suspension is with immediate effect, and we have decided to comply with their directives,” said Mr. Osasuyi.
He however added that the money paid for the exercise by candidates will be refunded in due course.
The UTME was original scheduled to commence on June 27 and end on July 7, 2016.
It was further learnt that candidates who showed up for the exercise were informed of the suspension and told to be calm and that management of the institution would communicate further information on the suspension in due course.
