Fendall – Results of the May 2018 University of Liberia entrance and placement examination has shown a mass failure with only nine percent of the total candidates who sat the test making a pass.
Report by Willie N. Tokpa, willie.tokpah@frontpageafricaonline.com
The entrance result from the nation’s highest institution of learning continues to reaffirm the weakness of the country’s education system, proving students inability to demonstrate academic excellence.
Of the total 10,837 who sat the entrance examination, only 1,901, met the passing threshold for undergraduate colleges while others were considered in established categories.
According to the University of Liberia, these categories approved by its Senate on July 9, 2018 include, regular pass, provisional pass and unsuccessful categories aimed at determining admission and non-admission to the University of Liberia.
The Results of the David A. Straz-Sinje Technical and Vocational College in Grand Cape Mount County also show that 29 candidates obtained regular pass while 42 others obtained a provisional pass.
Similarly, results from the College of General Studies show 19 candidates obtaining a regular pass, and 34 candidates obtaining a provisional pass.
A total of 8,649 candidates were reportedly unsuccessful in the entrance exam.
Unsuccessful candidates are said to be candidates who earned an average score of less than 50% when their Mathematics and English scores were combined.
“To be in the regular pass category, candidates must have scored at least 50% in Mathematics and at least 70% in English or scored at least 50% in Mathematics and at least 50% in English. A total of 1,021 candidates met this threshold and are now qualified for admissions to the University of Liberia. Regular Pass candidates may register for up to 18 credit hours during their first semester in a college of the University of Liberia,” UL President Dr. Ophelia I Weeks said.
“To qualify for the provisional pass category, candidates must have obtained an average score of at least 50% when their Mathematics and English scores are combined. A total of 756 candidates met this threshold and are also qualified for provisional admissions at the University of Liberia. Those passing provisionally, are restricted to register for no more than 12 credit hours during their first semester in a college at the University of Liberia, and those credit hours must include Freshman Mathematics (101) and Freshman English (101).”
In relation to this procedure, UL said it has completed the combination of scores for all undergraduate colleges following the blending of regular and provisional results from Straz-Sinje and the College of General Studies, resulting to the 1,901 candidates who pass the test.
Dr. Weeks further noted that the 2018 entrance and placement examination results differ from last year’s results in several ways.
“For instance, In 2017, only 466 candidates or 6% passed out of a total of 7, 735 registered candidates, compared to this year’s 1,021 candidates or 9% who passed, out of a total of 10, 837 registered candidates,” Dr. Weeks added.
“The results also show that 1021 candidates obtained a regular pass in 2018, compared to 2017. Last year, 1,195 candidates out of a total of 7,735 obtained provisional pass, but this number dropped to 756 out of 10,837 in 2018.”
Three students from the St. Philip Ecumenical High School, Laine Refugee School and Calvary Temple School all made a high score in mathematics.
At the same time, two other students from the Williams V.S. Tubman High School, one from the James Doe Young AGM School and one from the Voinjama Multilateral High School score high marks in English.
However, student Flomo G. Nyainfelea of the Laine Refugee School and Abraham H. Sheriff of the James Doe Young AGM School both top the examination in both subjects.
The result follows latest report of poor performance by Liberian Students in the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination, showcasing the country student populace inability to compete in public test.
School administrators in the country have expressed disappointment in the performance of students at public test, stating that Liberia student populace will continue to perform poorly unless a proper revamping of the educational system is done.
Meanwhile, the chairman of this year’s testing committee, Cllr. T. Negbalee Warner, Dean of the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law, has extoled members of the entrance examination Committee for their individual and collective support, saying, “This report reflects the committee’s consensus and can be adequately defended by the University of Liberia.”
In the wake of mass failure in the 2018 entrance and placement examination, the administration of the University of Liberia says, it has commenced registration for a second entrance examination for all undergraduate as well as conduct an aptitude test for graduate programs and professional schools.
