The Director of Baptist Mission Schools, Nigerian Baptist Convention, Dr Tide Olalere has defended the N4,700 fee charged by the school for registration of the 2021 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Olalere, who at a news conference on Saturday in Ibadan, denied the news of extortion making the round on social media, explained why the school charged the amount for UTME.
The JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede had interviewed a student and a teacher of Baptist Girls’ Academy, Obanikoro Lagos over the fee charged for JAMB, where both quoted different amounts.
The student had said that the school charged N8, 000 for UTME registration while the teacher said that it was N4, 700 but Oloyede said the actual fee was N3, 500
Olalere maintained that the N4700 was for UTME registration which included N3, 500 for the main registration, N500 for the recommended text by JAMB and N700 to the CBT.
He explained that the additional N3, 300 administrative charge was for logistics including coaching for CBT, refreshment and transportation of students to the centres.
“As a responsible institution we discussed with our parents from time to time and then we agreed and so, our parents agreed to the administrative charges,” he said.
The director said that the school was a private institution and its main objective was to produce academically excellent and Christlike leaders through quality education.
In her remarks the Principal of Baptist Girls’ Academy, Obanikoro Lagos, Mrs Eniola Okwuidegbe, said that both the student and the teacher were correct on the amounts quoted.
“The N4,700 is for JAMB’s registration including N3,500 for the main registration, N500 for the recommended text by JAMB and N700 to the CBT centre making N4700. The additional administrative charges from the school was meant from the convenience of our students and their parents, which is not a hidden charge, the parents are in the know because they have sampled round before settling for the school.”
She said currently there were 99 students in the Senior Secondary III arm of the school and only 40 had registered so far because none was compelled to register with the school.
“We installed computers in the school and the students practiced constantly, so that they achieved the success that we required from them as an organisation. That place, where Prof Ishaq Oloyede saw them, our officer took them there and if we are not a government body, we have to make provision for logistics as it sometimes takes three to four times before the registration can be done.
“For instance we were unable to register our students the day Prof. Oloyede saw them. The remaining N3,300 from the N8,000 collected is for logistics under which we have the coaching on CBT, refreshment and transportation,” Okwuidegbe said.
Mr Kayode Oloyede, the teacher, who was interviewed by JAMB registrar over the amount collected faulted the claim by the registrar; he maintained that UTME registration was N4,700.
“On the question Oloyede asked me, I will still repeat it, the money charged for JAMB registration fee is N4,700. But the additional administrative charge was for logistics. But Prof. Oloyede said N3,500 was the JAMB registration fee, but it is not so, because aside from the UTME registration which is N3,500 there are compulsory fees such as the N500 for the recommended text by JAMB and N700 for the CBT centre,” the teacher said.
