Striking Workers Stop Mock UTME In OAU

The Mock Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) scheduled for Monday in Obafemi Awolowo University could not hold. The striking lecturers stopped the examination soon after the students started, as power supply was shut down at the ICT centre where it is been conducted. According to reports, efforts by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Eyitope Ogunbodede, and the Police Area Commander in Ile-Ife, Mr. Funso Adegboyega, to ensure the situation was rescued proved abortive. Pleas by the duo with the striking workers to restore the electricity so that the candidates could continue with the mock test fell on deaf ears. Since last year December, members of the Senior Staff Academic of Universities, the Non-Academic Staff Union and the National Academic of Educational Technologists have been on a national strike, making academic activities difficult to proceed normally across public universities in the country. As at press time, it is not clear whether or not, the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) will stick to its plan to use OAU ICT centre for the main exam already scheduled to hold between March 7 and 19, if the strike action persists.