Analysis of Candidates’ Performance in Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) and Post-UTME in the University of Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract

A major criterion for determining the eligibility of candidates for admission into Nigerian Universities was their performance in UTME and Post-UTME before the scrap of the Post-UTME in 2016. This study was therefore aimed at investigating the performance of students in UTME conducted by Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the Post-UTME conducted by the University of Ibadan from 2012/2013 to 2015/2016 with emphasis on gender and age-group performance in the two examinations. The secondary data used for this research comprised of the records of all 100 Level students admitted into the University from 2012/2013 to 2015/2016 academic sessions through UTME and Post-UTME. The data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics, independent samples t test and Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient r. The results [(2012/13: 49.3%; 50.7%); (2013/14: 53.5%;46.5%); (2014/15: 53%;47%) and (2015/16: 53.3%;46.7%)], for male and female respectively showed that more male candidates were admitted compared to their female counterpart in each academic session except the 2012/2013 session that had higher female enrolment. More than 80% of the students were in the 16-20 age group. The independent t-test, for UTME and Post-UTME respectively, showed that the males had higher mean scores than the females and these mean scores were significant in all the sessions except in the 2015/16 session [(2012/13: P = .00; .04); (2013/14: P = .00; .03); (2014/15: P = .00; .00); (2015/16: P = .32; .29)]. The independent t-test for Post-UTME showed that the 16-20 age group had higher mean scores in the Post-UTME than the 21 & above age group in all the sessions but the only significant Post-UTME mean score for this group was in the 2012/13 session (P = .00). Also, the independent t-test for UTME showed that the 21 & above age group had higher mean scores in the UTME than the 16-20 age group in all the sessions except the 2015/16 session but the only significant UTME mean score for this group was in the 2013/14 session (P = .03). The Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient r was 0.306, -0.351, 0.456 and 0.641 for 2012/2013, 2013/2014, 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 respectively. All the r values were positively significant at 5% level except the value of r which was negatively significant for 2013/2014 session. The progressive and significant positive increase in the value of r in all the sessions except the 2013/2014 academic session suggested tacit support for the scrapping of the Post-UTME in the Nigerian University system.