By Ike Uchechukwu, Calabar
The immediate past Vice Chancellor of Cross River University of Technology CRUTECH,Prof. Anthony Owan Enoh has charged institutions of higher learning to enforce stiffer penalties against any lecturer who trades marks for money so as to serve as deterrent to others.
Enoh gave the charge while fielding questions from journalists weekend shortly after delivering a lecture at the combined convocation of the Cross River College of Education, (COE)Akamkpa.
ALSO READ: Buhari punishing S’South, S’East with bad roads — IYC
He charged the managers of institutions of higher learning to rise up to the occasion and put an end to the ugly trend where students’ grades are traded for cash with a resultant effect leading to institutions of higher learning churning out low quality graduates.
The ex-VC identified shoddy management of academic matters as being responsible for falling standard of education in Nigeria stressing if educational matters were given priority attention, the nation stand a chance to churn high quality graduates despites the kind of libraries and laboratories the schools may have.
His words : “Why are we unconsciously converting our huge beautiful looking libraries/ laboratories buildings to mere ornaments, examination to mere formalities, project writing to mere rituals, lecture attendance to a matter of choice, above all certificate we offer to a mere piece of paper without substance?
He said that when lecturers allow students to “sort” aside becoming incapable of the required contribution to national development expected of them, the teacher and student end up losing their integrity.
ALSO READ: Man bags two years imprisonment for vandalising EEDC property
“Anyone who sorted, altered students scores,tied examination scores to purchase of his textbook or handouts, who rarely lectured students, doctored continuous assessment scores is unfit for appointment as provost,Rector, VC or principal of a school.”.
Other vices mentioned by the former VC as being responsible for low quality of education in the country, includes “sorting”, falsification of continuous assessment scores, examination malpractice,linking award of examination scores to purchase of handouts and textbooks.
The ex-CRUTECH VC who spoke on the topic “Quality Assurance and the Architecture of Educational Excellence, stated that unless the nation’s educational system is overhauled, Nigeria would remained economically unviable.
According to him:” Quality Assurance must be strengthened in all higher institutions to ensure qualitative educational delivery”.
Enoh who was one time Provost of the College of Education COE Akamkpa stressed that if educational excellence is to be achieved, promotion of academic staff should not only be base on competence alone, but academic staff should be rated on the basis of their integrity.
Enoh who stressed on the need for quality education, enumerated specific issues which has bedeviled the nation’s system to includes, “sorting”for grades and lack of respect for time time.
Other issues responsible for low quality of education includes, multiple examinations conducted by schools, alteration of results and issuance of results to individuals who didn’t complete their programs.
Disclaimer
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.