The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) in an article published July 7, 2015 in Pulse Nigeria described the high volume of petitions alleging corruption in the academic community as worrisome. Speaking at a workshop on academic integrity for Nigerian universities held in Abuja, the ICPC, the National Universities Commission, (NUC), the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), and National Commission for Colleges of Education have been bombarded with petitions signaling a negative trend that must be addressed.
With a large amount of cash either misappropriated or looted from the treasury of universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, colleges of arts sciences and technology, and even secondary schools one cannot but say corruption has become deep-rooted in our educational system.
Current trends of corruption
In our tertiary institutions, lecturers paid to teach refuse to come for their classes only to carry out crash lectures weeks to the examination which leaves students confused. Some of these lecturers even demand cash or sex in exchange for good grades.
Lecturer form caucus, cliques, and fraternities with the aim of controlling the management of various decision making bodies in their various educational institutions just so the vicious cycle of corruption can be continued. Educational decisions in the school setting are politicized, placing individual gain over corporate gains. Students on recognizing these so-called powers, align with them, and promote corruption. These cartels also serve the purpose of defending its members in disciplinary matters, to ensure their sordid acts are not punished. This is one likely reason more students are opting to pay for grades.
Secondary schools are not left out in the issue of corruption, with teachers signing in for one another, classes are either not taught, or taught by teachers who themselves cheated to pass leaving their students with no other option but to cheat in major examination to pass.
With little value ascribed to the teaching profession, and the amount paid teachers compared to other professions, teachers opt for other businesses to provide alternative sources of income to survive.
It an open secret that many students pay money to adepts to either teach, or write for them in the examination hall, or better still pay supervisor to look the other way so they can copy in major examinations. All these stem from a corrupt system originally instituted to mould character but is today deficient it's core mandate.
Proprietors of private schools are not left out in the cycle of corruption. issues of lesson fees paid by parents come to mind. Why does a parent need to pay lesson fees when tuition has been paid? Is the child not supposed to be taught and supervised by the teacher during the time frame of the day's schedule? Why should a child, who should be sleeping in the afternoon be forced to do the lesson after the close of school hours? More annoying is the fact that many schools program it into the total sum payable.
In a bid to be addressed as a school with an impeccable record of good results, private school owners go the length of positioning their teachers to help the students in the examination hall, paying external examiners and promoting corruption. While good records are important, should it be obtained without recourse to the human conscience
With the evolution of science and technology, corruption seems to take new forms while people get to hide behind technology to carry out their evil acts. Today the issue of stealing people's work and presenting it as yours is a growing concern in educational institutions.
The use of smartphones and other technological gadgets by students of secondary and tertiary institutions has made examination malpractice easy as all that is needed is for text messages bearing answers to examination questions to be sent to phones and tablets of the students. Without opening the phone the student is still to read the message because they appear at the top of the person’s screen. All the person has to do is just keep the phone in front of him or her.
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