One increasing prevalence that is steadily affecting Nigeria is the corruption in the education sector. Numerous illegalities are being perpetrated in this sector, from operations to malpractices. However, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) disclosed that it has successfully closed down about 62 illegal degree awarding institutions operating in the country. Also, the commission again declared that it had shut down a fake NYSC Orientation Camp, all in the bid to curb corruption in the educational sector. The Chairman of the commission, Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, made this known at a Youth Dialogue on Corruption in Tertiary Institutions which was held in Abuja.
This dialogue was reportedly organized by the ICPC for members of the anti-corruption vanguards from five tertiary institutions in the country’s capital. Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, represented by the ICPC board member in charge of youths, Mrs. Hannatu Mohammed, noted that corruption in the educational sector had immense debilitating impacts on the quality of education in the country. He stated that no nation can progress absolutely without quality education and as such, the commission had since prosecuted the perpetrators of these illegal acts as mandated by the law.
Anti-corruption vanguards created to curb corruption in universities.
Per further disclosure, Prof. Owasanoye stated that ICPC created the anti-corruption vanguards in different tertiary institutions, so as to facilitate an overt salvaging of the corrupt practices, especially in tertiary institutions. He said that these anti-corruption vanguards will provide an enabling ambience for students to actively participate in curbing the corruption that has ravaged the educational system in their differing institutions. He stated that the enactment of the vanguard is posed at equipping students with the ability for developing intolerance for any kind which will help in inculcating these changes among other students on the long run.
Prof. Owasanoye again disclosed that asides the enactment of vanguards within tertiary institutions, ICPC had also conducted system surveys and reviews of the university systems, in a bid to identify the operations that have abetted these corrupt practices. This research, according to him, uncovered factors like bribery, sexual harassment, gratification, examination malpractices over inflation and over invoicing. He further explained that awarding of contracts to oneself, sale of substandard handouts, admission racketeering, absenteeism and certificate forging where other factors affecting the quality of the education system in Nigeria. He then noted that the commission, in uncovering these malpractices, have procured solutions and submitted them to the Minister of Education for implementation.
Educational system must be reevaluated to adequately develop the country.
Professor Williams Barnabas, the Vice Chancellor of Bingham University, in his address, stated that the educational system in Nigeria must be reevaluated and repositioned in such a way that make the sector develop the nation’s status quo adequately. He urged that students being admitted into tertiary institutions be well scrutinized to ensure that they have the right to develop morally, psychologically and socially. He also criticized the academic staffs and parents who push students into corrupt practices such as buying grades.
Prof. Barnabas stated that for the country to be stirred in the right direction, the tertiary institutions must play their parts by sticking to their mandate of providing adequate teaching, research and community services. He stated that corruption at the core of the educational system intensely undervalues the human capital formation in the country, as well as the social cohesion by causing distrust among interpersonal relationships and inter group relations. He then urged for transparency in every level of education.
ICPC partners with investors to identify restructures for education sector.
Mr. Mohammed Ashiru, Director of Public Enlightenment and Education, ICPC, stated that the purpose of the dialogue was to encourage youths to engage in roles expected of them in curbing corruption in the education sector. He also disclosed that the commission had collaborated with numerous stakeholders to identify major restructures needed for the sector. This collaboration had led to the involvement of students, to listen to their perspectives on this prevailing problem of corruption in tertiary institutions and measures to curb the menace.
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