…calls for total overhaul of tertiary institutions objectives
GOVERNORSHIP candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Delta State and Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, yesterday, said trends of ‘sex for marks or marks for sex is basically the reason why tertiary institutions churn out “mediocre, undeserving, ill-prepared and cowed graduates,” year after year.
This was even as he called on the Federal Government, FG, to to create new paradigms for University education to ensure national productivity amongst tertiary institution students.
The Deputy Senate President made this call while delivering his keynote address in a National Conference, organised by a group: Sofadondo Advocacy Group, themed: ‘Sex for Marks and Marks for sex: Establishing the Change Mantra for National Growth and Development’, in Abuja.
According to him, University education is a serious business that requires commitment and focus. We, therefore, need to create a new paradigm for university education in the country.
“We need to change the objective of education so that we work towards productivity, we must see our children inventing and innovating things and taking control of their own future and of the country”, he added.
Bemoaning the menace of ‘Sex for Grades’ which he said is still very much practiced in some tertiary institutions, called on Nigerians to synergise formidably against the negative trend.
While reemphasizing the need for university education, he said the scourge of sexual harassment in tertiary institutions impacts the standards of education nationally.
“Without question, the scourge of sexual harassment with its obnoxious sub-culture of sex for grades in our tertiary institutions is an extraordinary harm that negatively impacts the standards of education in our tertiary institutions.
“The sexual harassment law the right of students to learn peaceably deprived of any form of harassment Without any doubt, our students, especially daughters and wives, deserve tertiary learning environments devoid of sexual harassment.
“The essence of university education is to expose students to new research and technology. Studying at a university encourages creative and independent thought, which could bring about positive socio economic transformation in society.
“Higher institutions retain the singular ability to transform this nation for greater developmental exploits, because that is where the base of our most productive youths reside. They represent the hope of our salvation for national growth and development.
“Harassment instills fear and fear has no place in the world of intellectualism. If students are unable to express themselves because lecturers are mean, fraudulent, lecherous, manipulating and self-seeking, predatory, wicked, and uncaring, then where will innovations come from?
“Through such a process, the lecturers will promote those who are undeserving, elevate the mediocre and frustrate brilliant students. We cannot afford to keep churning out ill-prepared and cowed graduates, because they go through various forms of harassment and are not allowed to study in an atmosphere devoid of fear.
“In such circumstances, their productivity will be suboptimal and cannot help in national growth and development.”
In similar fashion, the National Coordinator, Sofadondo Advocacy Group, Hannah Edim Etta, said the group is poised to addressing the menace of sexual predation in the institutions of learning in Nigeria.
“The association was founded in 2018 by a handful of people but has since grown in leaps and bounds to over 500 members and over 10 chapters in different states of Nigeria and overseas.
“It is also my pleasure to note that we have made a reasonable contribution towards our mission by creating awareness of this menace across the country. And it is a testament to our success to be able to convene this 2nd national conference which boasts of very distinguished speakers.
“Despite these strides there is still a lot of work to bed one in our bid to change the culture of silence that prevents students from speaking up”, he said.