By Tunde Odesola
Published: Sunday Punch, 21 Dec 2008

President UmaruYar‘Adua has criticised the scourge of corruption permeating the country‘s education system.
He alleged that some lecturers engaged in illicit affairs with their female students.

Yar‘Adua, who spoke at the 36th convocation ceremony of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, on Saturday, alleged that some lecturers collect money ranging from N250,000 to N500,000 from students in return for unmerited grades.

Represented by permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Dr. Goke Adegoroye, Yar‘Adua reiterated his administration‘s commitment to providing the necessary support to the academic community to enable it to play its statutory roles.

He said decaying facilities in the country‘s higher institutions had become a source of worry to his administration.

The president promised that his administration would soon embark on moves to check the decay.

Maintaining that the country‘s university system required considerable autonomy, the president stressed that government would not shirk its responsibility to education.

The President of Republic of Benin, Dr Boni Yayi, was awarded an honorary doctorate degree in science while the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabir Usman, was installed the institution’s new chancellor. He also bagged an honorary doctorate award.

Yar‘Adua said he had directed the minister of education to ensure that the NUC and the security agencies fish out the bad eggs in the universities.

He said, ”The Federal Ministry of Education and the National University Commission are daily inundated by reports of various vices being perpetrated by those to whom the nation, not only looks up to for answers to its ills, but have entrusted with the responsibility of moulding the knowlege and character base of our children for the future development of our nation.

”These reports have graduated from the usual sexual harassment and sexual temptation to the bizzare. For example, certain universities recruiting and forwarding the names of hawkers and touts to the National Youth Service Corps for national service, while scores of genuine students who have completed their programme of studies are denied places and have to wait, sometime up to two years after graduation before securing a space.

”Some lecturers supervising students projects demand between N250,000 and over N500,000 from their students before their final year projects and thesis can be accepted. There are reports of swapping of grades and awarding of grades and even whole degrees to students that do not appear in an examination hall.

“Are we being honest to ourselves and to our nation? What character could such group of lecturers impact on our students? When will the certificates and degrees that universities award on the basis of having been found worthy in learning and character begin to live up to the highest level of the content of its intentions?” he asked.

He, therefore, called on all and sundry to rise to the challenge of correcting the ills in the society, adding that it is in the light of this that his government embarked on the seven-point agenda.

The Beninoise President in his remarks advocated regional integration that would lead Africa to accelerated development adding that Nigeria had assisted his country in various field, saying jokingly ”Benin Republic is the 37th State of Nigeria.”

He extolled the virtues of Chief Obefami Awolowo, whom the university was named after, expressing his happiness for being honoured in the university named after the late sage, describing Awo as a worthy son of Africa.

idiopathic:

He alleged that some lecturers engaged in illicit affairs with their female students.

B.O.S.S.:

Is he just realising this?