By Charles Ogugbuaja
The Imo State House of Assembly has expressed concern over reports on delayed results, transcripts, and certificates of graduating students across the states’ tertiary institutions. It, therefore, urged the institutions to prevail on their lecturers to stop delaying scripts and release results on time to fast track the process.
Presenting the motion, member representing Ezinihitte Mbaise constituency, Dr Henry Agbasonu, expressed concern over the alleged “culture of corruption” in state-owned tertiary institutions, saying this is responsible for the delay in issuance of transcripts and certificates to graduating students. Agbasonu, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Education, said delay in issuing results and certificates could discourage new students from seeking admission into such schools. “Some of the students may want to further their education but the delay in getting transcripts may stall the process. It has become terribly difficult for graduates to do their masters and post-graduate courses because of the difficulty in getting first degree certificates.”
For instance, he noted that students who sat for the Basic Education and Certificate Examination (BECE), meant for those in junior secondary three, between 2020 and 2023 are yet to get their results. He argued that the ministry of education, which conducted the exams, has no reason to delay the results.
Already, he said the affected students and pupils, especially those in JSS three, had been promoted to the next class without seeing their results. “If the results are eventually released and some of the JSS three students who are now in senior secondary class are found to have failed the exams, would they come back to retake the examination?”
He, therefore, urged his colleagues to support the motion by urging the governor, Hope Uzodinma, to direct the education ministry to address the problem. The lawmakers subsequently passed the motion directing the management teams of state-owned institutions to ensure that their students are not subjected to undue delay in the processing of their results, transcripts, and certificates.
