Angered at the revelation over Punch Newspaper report of Auchi Polytechnic school, Edo State, where there is reported sex-for-marks tradition, the National Board for Technical Education has reportedly sacked 12 lecturers, while 16 others were demoted, fresh report according to Punch Newspaper suggests.
The sack is coming after an April 9, 2016 Saturday Punch Newspaper report, titled — “School where prostitutes assist male students to get marks”— showed how students of the institution went as far as hiring prostitutes to please their lecturers in exchange for higher scores.
According to Punch Newspaper report, some frustrated current and ex-students of the situation, had written the report detailing how female students of Auchi poly were mandated to sleep with their male lecturers before they could pass their courses.
But for the male students, because they are sexually unattractive to the lecturers, the only way to bail out was to hire prostitutes or beg their girlfriends to sleep with the concerned lecturers on their behalf in order to pass their courses.
The report also narrated how some of the lecturers preferred to accept cash — ranging from N10,000 to N20,000 per course — rather than sex, to award grades.
It was learnt that the Executive Secretary, NBTE, Dr. Masa’udu Adamu-Kazaure, swung into action soon after the report and constituted a fact-finding committee to investigate the claims.
By June 14, 2016, our correspondent learnt that the NBTE committee had concluded its investigations and found out that the sex-for-marks tradition had become entrenched in the institution, prompting the Federal Government to relieve the identified lecturers of their duties and demoted some others.
These disciplinary actions were announced on Thursday, December 1, 2016 by Adamu-Kazaure in Kaduna, the NBTE headquarters.
According to Adamu-Kazaure, five senior lecturers and seven other workers at the Auchi Polytechnic were sacked for offences bordering on sexual harassment and extortion of female students in the school.
Fifteen other lecturers and one instructor were also demoted in relation to the same offences.
Adamu-Kazaure said the decision was endorsed by the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu.
Commending Saturday PUNCH “for a job well done,” Adamu-Kazaure said, “When we saw the report, we promptly informed the Minister of Education, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Department of State Services and constituted a fact-finding committee with a view to getting to the root of the matter and proffering a lasting solution to the problem.
“Members of the committee included members of staff from the Federal Ministry of Education, the NBTE, the EFCC and the DSS.”
He said the report of the committee was submitted on June 14, 2016 at the 160th Regular Meeting of the NBTE where it was deliberated upon before being sent to the Minister of Education for approval.
The outcome of the committee’s report, he explained, was the dismissal and the termination of the appointments as well as other disciplinary actions taken against the culpable lecturers and workers of the institution.
He said, “The approval involved the dismissal from service of the polytechnic of two chief lecturers, two principal lecturers and one lecturer I.
“Also, four chief lecturers, one principal lecturer, one lecturer I, one lecturer II and one higher technician had their appointments terminated.
“The honourable minister also approved the demotion of one chief lecturer, four principal lecturers, three senior lecturers, three lecturer I, four lecturer II and one senior instructor.
“One chief lecturer, one principal lecturer I and one lecturer III were warned; while a chief lecturer and one senior technologist were advised on good conduct.
“Two senior lecturers were cautioned, an assistant lecturer is to be mentored; one National Diploma student is to be advised, while another student, Gideon Adaengel, is denied admission into the polytechnic.”