By Adesina Wahab 

While many young Nigerians are moving in droves to live, work or study abroad, the dreams of some doing so are being truncated because of their inability to get their academic transcripts forwarded to their new schools or employers by their Nigerian schools. 

Checks by Vanguard Learning showed that many of the nation’s tertiary institutions are many years behind in discharging this simple, but important function. A transcript is a certified record (inventory) of a student throughout a course of study having full enrollment history including all courses (or subjects) attempted, grades earned and degrees and awards conferred. At the University of Lagos, UNILAG, the application fee is N10,000, while local and international fees are between N20,000 and N35,000 respectively. University of Benin, UNIBEN, graduates pay N20,000 and N50,000 for local and international processing. 

The creation of the Electronic Transcripts and Documents Exchange in Nigeria (ETX-NG) in 2013 by ETX Solutions Nigeria Limited in partnership with universities for smooth transfer of transcripts to institutions and organisations that require them, has not helped the situation. 

Two graduates of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, OOU, in Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, have been trying to get their transcripts for between one and three years now.

The duo, who related their experiences, are piqued that the slow pace of processing the document could cost them serious damage in their careers. Cecilia, who lives in one of the SouthWest states, said she applied for the document in March 2021, while Joyce, who stays in the United States, did so in March last year. They paid the mandatory N50,000 processing fee along with their applications.

Cecilia has heard nothing from OOU more than three years after applying for her transcript, Joyce, who applied for hers at UNILAG and OOU in March last year, got the document from UNILAG alone.

 ”I graduated from OOU then Ogun State University in 1997 with a Second Class Lower in Guidance and Counselling. I did my Master’s degree in the same university and graduated in the year 2000. I applied for a transcript for the first degree since March 2021 and up till now, no transcript has been given.

“I visited the Registrar’s office and was directed to Exams and Records and was referred to my faculty. I discussed with the dean who incidentally was my lecturer. He appealed to me that I should exercise patience that it would be sorted out soon. Since then, I have been using unofficial means and they kept telling me the university can’t  find some of my results and it is not only me.

“About two months ago, someone called me to ask me if I can lay my hands on my 300 and 400-Level courses or ask my friends that we finished together; I told the person I can’t. The person said he would get back but he never did. Some two weeks after, I called the number, he didn’t pick up.”