Universities, others expelled 383 in two years – Investigation
No fewer than 383 undergraduates were expelled from public tertiary institutions across the country from January 2021 till date, according to findings by The PUNCH.
The students were dismissed for examination malpractices among other offences.
A breakdown showed that 302 students were expelled in 2021 while 81 have so far been dismissed in 2022.
Checks indicate that 12 students were expelled from Aminu Dabo College of Health Sciences and Technology in Kano; 23 from the College of Education, Nasarawa and 30 from Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Ogun State.
Others are the College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Lafia -11; Bayero University, Kano -5; Kwara Polytechnic -29; Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rivers State -3; Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo State -9; Adamawa State University -8; Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa -51; Kwara State Polytechnic -29; University of Calabar-2; Kaduna Polytechnic -85; Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi -30; Kwara State University -30; Gombe Federal University -24 and University of Nigeria, Nsukka -2.
Findings by our correspondent revealed that the low number of expelled students in 2022 may not be unconnected with the eight-month industrial action by academic and non-academic staff members of tertiary institutions.
In September 2021, out of the 96 students tried for examination malpractices, 85 were expelled by the Kaduna State Polytechnic.
The students were from different departments cutting across different levels.
In August 2021, the Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa expelled 51 students for examination malpractices during the 2019/2020 academic session.
According to the management, the affected students were expelled following approval by the institution’s academic board.
Also, five students of Bayero University, Kano, were dismissed for their involvement in examination leakage.
Speaking to our correspondent on Monday, a senior lecturer at the Federal University, Lafia, John Dogara, explained that lack of parental upbringing and society’s emphasis on a certificate rather than knowledge among others are responsible for examination malpractices among students.
Dogara noted that although expulsion is the best way of punishing students, the government must also avoid strikes and equip school libraries.
He said, “Lack of response materials like books and functional instructional materials is one of the causes of examination malpractices.
“Also, crash programmes due to strikes, lazy attitudes toward learning by students, lack of parental upbringing where parents engage in shortcut practices as well as society emphasis on paper qualification as against knowledge are also responsible.
“However, the management of institutions must put measures in place to punish those involved in the act; well-equipped libraries must be encouraged, and parents and society must put a premium on knowledge instead of paper qualification. Government should put measures in place to avoid strikes in tertiary institutions and students must develop a reading culture by attending lectures and doing all class assignments.”
Another lecturer at the University of Jos, Luka Toholde said, “Prison terms should be introduced instead of mere expulsion.”
Toholde, however, blamed the system; government, students, teachers and parents for examination malpractices in tertiary institutions.
He advised that “Parents should stop piling pressure on their wards. Students should study hard and stop being lazy. Teachers should shun corruption and be contented.”
