By Gabriel Dike
The decision of the Lagos State University Science and Technology (LASUSTECH) management to reopen the closed admission portal for some ‘anointed’ candidates is generating ripples on the campus.
The Education Report gathered that the closed admission portal was reopened for 24 hours to allow certain candidates to register.
LASUSTECH admission registration closed in October 2022 and over 10,000 applicants applied for the 2,000 available spaces.
Staff and students were shocked when LASUSTECH management ordered the ICT section to reopen the portal for 24 hours to enable the ‘special candidates’ access the portal and register.
Investigations further revealed that the directive to LASUSTECH management to reopen the closed portal for 24 hours emanated from Alausa, the seat of power in the state.
The insinuations are that the ‘special candidates’ are children of the political class or senior government officials.
A senior management staff told The Education Report that the action has tainted the admission exercise and cannot be said to be credible.
“Why will the LASUSTECH management shift the goalpost after the exercise has been concluded? The vice-chancellor told the ICT staff that the directive was from Alausa. So, who are these candidates that the portal was reopened for 24 hours for? The admission exercise has been tainted.
“Now, after the ‘special candidates’ have registered, the university management also made them appear before the State of Origin Verifications Committee for three days. I am sure for these ‘special candidates’admission is a 100 per cent guaranteed.
“No advert was placed to announce the reopening of the admission portal. There was no circular to the public. In fact, the public ought to be informed about the exercise but it was secretly done and once the anointed candidates have registered, the portal was closed.
This is not fair and starting our first admission exercise this way is wrong,” she stated.
The management staff revealed that LASUSTECH first UTME screening was conducted from October 2nd to 12th. It was extended from October 14th to 18th and later reopened for 24 hours on November 30th to accommodate the ‘special candidates’.
Again, LASUSTECH management further ensured that over 130 ‘special candidates’ appeared before the State of Origin Verification Committee (SOVC), which had earlier concluded its assignment.
LASUSTECH image-maker, Mr. Lanre Kuye, when contacted said, “I can’t confirm your questions.”