The mock Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination was disrupted by the non-academic staff at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, on Monday.
The examination, which is organised by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, was aimed at allowing candidates to test their skills and level of preparedness ahead of the 2018 UTME scheduled to hold between March 9 and 17.
It was gathered that some of the candidates had already settled down in their examination halls before the workers stormed the venues to send them out.
“They have sent us out. We were so scared when they came. Many of us had to rush out of the hall,” one of the candidates told newsmen.
Members of the striking unions said that “such (mock UTME) should not hold while we are on strike.”
Recently, a directive from the Joint Action Committee of the striking unions compelled the non-academic staff to intensify the ongoing strike in their various universities.
The JAC comprises the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).
The unions on December 4, 2017, embarked on an indefinite strike due to the alleged non-implementation of the agreements they entered into with the Federal Government in 2009 and 2017.
They are also protesting the earned allowances of N23bn released by the Federal Government to the universities’ workers around November 2017 in which the three non-teaching unions got 11 per cent.
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the OAU, Mr. Biodun Olarewaju, apologised to the candidates, adding that “the issue will be resolved amicably.”
