By Okhide Em’ya David .
The collapse of server of the University of Benin, UNIBEN, has put the fate of thousands of post-UTME candidates who sat for the examination on Tuesday December 8, 2020 hanging.
Investigation reveals that the servers of the school collapsed on Wednesday.
A Short Messaging Service, SMS, sent out on Wednesday afternoon directed the affected candidates, who came from all parts of the country to write the examination, to return to the university for another test.
The statement said: “If you know anyone that wrote post UTME exam today 8th December 2020 @ict hall UGBOWO, tell the person to come back from any state or city he or she is. UNIBEN server failed for applicants that wrote 9 am & 10.30 am. Authority has tried their best to call some students but their phone off”
Some of the affected Students who commented on the incident described it as tragic. A source at UNIBEN said: “This is a major crisis.
“How do you get all the affected candidates to come back? What about those who came from the far North and other states to write the test? I wonder why the university management is acting as if the University of Benin is meant only for Benin City. If you ask the candidates to come back, who bears the cost? How do you handle the risks of travelling?”, the source queried.
The University of Benin is said to be on complete blackout as the main source of electricity supply to the institution has been cut off.
In a statement spokesperson for UNIBEN Dr. Benedicta Ehanire, said “the university said that the power outage was a result of the crisis in the neighbouring community of Ihovbor, where the restive youths cut off the source of electricity”.
“This is to inform members of the University of Benin Community that the present power outage on Campus is as a result of Community unrest at Ihovbor, the main source of power supply to the University. (The Community youths have forced power outage due to a Community clash). It is hoped that normalcy would be restored soonest. Inconveniences are regretted”, the statement added .
