THE House of Representatives, yesterday, directed the Federal Ministry of Education to stop universities applying higher cut-off marks for candidates of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, other than that approved by Federal Government in the post-UME test.

Minister of Education, Prof. Ruquayat Ahmed Rufai, had on June 17, 2013, announced the Federal Government’s approved cut-off marks for admission into universities as 180 and that of polytechnics and colleges of education as 150 for the 2013/2014 academic year, urging them to comply with the approval.

The House was, however, surprised that some institutions, including the Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA, University of Lagos, UNILAG, University of Benin, UNIBEN, Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, had their post-UTME screening tests cut-off mark pegged at 200 and above.

Similarly, the Federal University of Technology, Minna and Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, UNIZIK, put theirs at 190 and 200 for science courses respectively.

In its resolution on a motion moved under matters of urgent public importance by Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr Victor Ogene, the House mandated its Committee on Education to interface with both the Ministry of Education and the authorities of federal universities and allied institutions to ensure strict adherence to government policy on education.