ASUP Federal Polytechnic Oko, Writes Executive Secretary NBTE On Computer Based Exams At Oko , Poly

               

Odogwuemekaodogwu.blogspot.com reports that the compulsory computer based examination is causing trouble now that the NBTE has been petitioned by ASUP , Federal Polytechnic, Oko chapter, Anambra state. Read details

The Executive Secretary,

National Board for Technical Education (NBTE),

Kaduna.

Sir,

RE: COMPUTER BASED/OMR SEMESTER EXAMINATIONS AT THE FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC, OKO

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Federal Polytechnic, Oko brings you felicitations. The union writes to inform you of an examination policy/modes which in the opinion of the union, is running at variance with the acceptable standards of the polytechnic education.

Sir, the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Federal Polytechnic, Oko in a congress on October 2, 2013 having extensively debated the use of computer/objective mode of examination, resolved that the computer based objective examination was not feasible as a mode of examining and graduating students. A meeting of the Joint Action Committee of Trade Unions (ASUP, NASU, SSANIP) which took place on Monday October 21, 2013 also came to a similar conclusion that computer-based objective examination was not in the best interest of polytechnic education (see attached hard copy on earlier resolutions).

Sir, congress had reaffirmed at different fora that objective-based computer-based questions as means of graduating students will compromise thorough academic learning and diminish the intellectual, practical and analytical potentials that make a real polytechnic graduate. A meeting of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Federal Polytechnic, Oko chapter held Tuesday July 15, 2014 also reiterated this position. You may recall sir that the National Executive Council of ASUP also adopted the position of the chapter. To elucidate the matter once more, the following issues have been considered as negating the implementation of computer-based objective examination or its OMR variant. Union posits that these issues are worthy of deep consideration and should be upheld in the best interest of the polytechnic education and the education sector in general.

1.                 The Peculiarity of Many Polytechnic Courses: Union notes that polytechnic courses are technical in nature and cannot be generally amenable to computer adapted objective questions. Congress resolved that the use of objective questions in these courses; Engineering, FAA Environmental Studies, Business Studies, Information Technology, etc which require deep initiatives, demonstration of practice and hands-on-skill will be counterproductive to the overall objective of the polytechnic system. In this respect, congress notes that the National Council for Legal Education could not subscribe to a complete e-examination for legal studies as is the case in Nigeria Open Universities. Consequently, law students put biro on paper during examinations.

2.                 Accreditation Issues: The NBTE has set good standards for accreditations and reaccreditations. Union recognises these requirements which include external moderation of question papers and examined scripts and regrets that the current CBE or OMR do not avail the departments opportunity to meet with the statutory obligation for accreditation and reaccreditations of such courses.  

3.                 Departmental Board Meetings: Union notes the role usually played by the Departmental Boards in moderation of students’ results and is of the view that the CBE or OMR has not defined these important roles.

4.                 Security of Examination Questions: Congress notes that examination questions are sacrosanct and are better managed by lecturers themselves without involving second and third parties. With the current arrangement, lecturers are required to submit results of quizzes and assignments to management, and thereafter submit objective questions (some 35 questions in 30 minutes). From then on, how scripts are marked, final results collated and students graded are no longer managed by the lecturer. ASUP considers this strange. The computer examination type does not guarantee safety of the quality of results.

5.                 Statutory Role of Academic Staff: Generally, union is of the view that the proposed CBE or OMR variant are inconsistent with the polytechnic manual which suggests the role of the lecturer as including “acting as examiner in subjects taught”, “teaching and examining students in his area of specialisation” and acting as a “moderator in examining students in a number of related subjects.”

6.                 Professional Bodies: If the quality of graduates diminishes arising from these modes of examination, the institution and graduates stand the risk of losing accreditation by professional bodies such as ICAN, CIBN, NITP, TOPREC, ANAN, COREN, NIQS, NIOB, NIESV etc.  No institution or graduate can dispense the services of these professional bodies.

7.                 Employers of Labour/HND/BSc Dichotomy:  ASUP as body has encouraged the removal the dichotomy between HND and BSc. We also fear that this noble objective will be compromised by the examination modes. More so, the employers of labour are already watching the situation that can affect the labour fitness of our graduates.

You may recall sir that a core issue during the just suspended ASUP nationwide strike was on HND/BSc dichotomy. On this, therefore, the chapter fears that the both computer and OMR variant are inconsistent with this objective of producing efficient and sound graduates that compare favourably at labour market. We are then of a strong view that students should be examined and graduated better through a well-articulated, in-depth and professionally crafted questions.

Conclusion

Sir, union in view of standards, technical, regulatory and security factors, as well as other invaluable reasons earlier advanced against the use of computers or OMR variant for general examination and graduation of students, reaffirmed the position that computer based or OMR examination will be counter productive. These related modes already being implemented in the Department of Public Administration and other departments have been rejected by the academic staff union and is creating tension in the institution.

Arising from the above sir, union keenly seeks your positive intervention to save the system from industrial disharmony as well as protect the polytechnic from imminent decline in standard.

Accept the assurances of out utmost regards and our camaraderie,

Dr. Onyeka Uwakwe                        Lady (Barr.) Ogugua Ochuba

Chairman                                                    Gen. Secretary

C:  Hon. Minister of Education

      Chairman NBTE

      Director Programmes NBTE

      Director Tertiary

      Director Polytechnic Education

      Council Chairman

      Rector

      Deputy Rector

      Registrar

      Bursar

      Polytechnic Librarian

      National President ASUP

      National Secretary ASUP

      Zonal Coordinator ASUP Zone D