The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali, on Wednesday urged political office-holders to change the mindsets of the people toward upholding honesty.

Ambali said this when he received the members of the Kwara State House of Assembly’s Committee on Education and Human Capital Development in Ilorin.

Ambali spoke on the peculiar challenges associated with universities’ admissions.

The V-C, who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, (Management Services), Prof. Yisa AbdulKareem, told the legislators that the university brought up the matter before the legislators because they were close to the grassroots.

“We are in a society where a lot of ugly things are happening. If you have the opportunity at the various ward levels, kindly help us find a way of enlightening, educating our people as well as the young ones about their attitudes to life.”

Ambali, who explained the procedures governing university’s admission to the lawmakers, said that the senate of each university was usually responsible for the admission processes.

He also stressed the importance of embracing ICT in line with best practices across the world.

The V-C said that the University of Ilorin adheres strictly to the Federal Government’s guidelines on admissions, which comprise merit, catchment areas and educationally disadvantaged areas.

He said that the institution did not intend to aggravate the burdens of the people yearning for higher education, Ambali said that Kwara benefits from all the three criteria.

He said that nothing should stop members of the university’s host communities from coming in through the merit list.

Also, the Registrar of the University, Mr Emmanuel Dada ,explained that candidates were offered admissions once they satisfied its stipulated requirements.

He said that it was discovered from the recent admission process that, “our children do what they like and it is only when they have problems that they tell their parents and they often lie.”

Similarly, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, Prof. Sidikat Ijaiya, assured the visitors that the university always looked after the interests of its students even beyond the expectation of their parents.

Ijaiya disclosed that every stage of the admission procedures had been effectively demonstrated by putting the students in mind.

She, however, lamented that some admission-seekers tried to “cut corners” in the process of uploading results so as to take an undue advantage over others, hence disqualifying themselves from the admission process.

“Our screening here is a continuous process; if we don’t catch them now, we can catch them in the final year and that will be too serious” she added.

Earlier in his address, the leader of the delegation, Mr Abdul Rahman, disclosed that some identified challenges in the admission processes into the university were tabled on the floor of the House.

He, therefore, called for synergy and more cooperation between the House and the University in offering provisional admissions to those that were qualified.

AbdulRahman said this was because the university was catering for the needs of children from the state.

That is why the State House of Assembly and the management of the University should work together, he said.