Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Abia State Government has announced the cancellation of the Preliminary Test Sessions (PTS), examination for student Nurses in held in the state.
This cancellation is coming barely two weeks after protest by the students and their parents, alleging foul play in the results published by the schools.
Commissioner for Information Prince Okey Kanu, who announced this during a press briefing after the State Executive Council meeting in Umuahia, said the cancellation was sequel to the protest and petitions by students.
He said there were allegations of “wrong doings” against some individuals involved in the conduct of the examination.
“In order to show transparency in all its activities, the state government has ordered the cancellation of the result of the last Nursing exams.
“This was based on the allegations of wrong doing levelled against some individuals. As a responsible government, a committee was set up and the preliminary report of the committee is that the exam be cancelled while investigations continue.”
He said an investigation had been Instituted to unravel what actually transpired, adding a fresh examination would soon be conducted for the students.
Principal Secretary and Chief Strategist to the Governor, Mr Chinenye Mba- Uzoukwu, who was part of the briefing, said that the committee had met with the necessary stakeholders including students, Heads of the affected schools and owners of Computer Based Test Centres, CBTCs.
“The committee met with all the stakeholders; the students who have petitioned, the leadership of the institutions that were involved. This exam was conducted as CBT, Computer Based Test and so the vendors who provided the technology were also interviewed by the committee.
“After reviewing all the information that has come forward from all these parties, it was clear that the examinations could have been conducted better in a manner that would have maintained the integrity that’s expected of any examination.”
Similarly, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma, who was also at the briefing, said the action was part of Gov. Alex Otti’s war against corruption.
Ekeoma said Otti inherited a total mess, and was determined to clean it up.
“What the government has just done is in tandem with the promises made by the Governor on assumption of office.
“Don’t forget that he declared a state of emergency in the health sector. The Principals of Schools of Nursing and all the rest of them were invited through the Honourable Commissioner for Health .
“They were spoken to, and Government made them to understand that it was aware of all the things, the corruption that have been going on there and warned that going forward, such a thing would not be allowed.
“Don’t forget that the admission proper was not done by this government. Ordinarily, we would not have admitted thousands for a quota of 75 persons. So what we are doing is the sanitisation process.”
“So, we will continue to clean up the mess we inherited.”
