CORRUPT INSTITUTIONS ON THE JOS PLATEAU: THE CASE OF UNIJOS

CORRUPT INSTITUTIONS ON THE JOS PLATEAU: THE CASE OF UNIJOS   

By: Balami Lazarus     

On the educational chain of higher institutions on the Plateau, University of Jos and Plateau State University Bokkos are on the top of the chain. Barkin Ladi Polytechnic. Federal College of Education, Pankshin. College of Education Gindiri and others are not left out in this academic corruption debacle that is ravaging the system caused by these institutions putting parents in financial pains.   

I was shocked to hear many stories from students and parents about happenings in these institutions. This is also coupled with the constant crisis and low commercial activities on the Plateau where cash is very hard to get. These higher institutions are still exploiting students by demanding money ranging from development levies, faculty and departmental fees among other cash related demands.   

Universities are basically established to foster the growth and development of the societies through teaching and learning. They are also to serve as centres for Research and Development (R&D) to better the society, but the stories about UniJos were different.

Many students alleged that, ‘once you are in there; you are dead without money and graduation becomes a thin line and your tomorrow is cliff hanging.’     This university has hatched and developed the tradition of collecting #25,000 as acceptance fee from all new intakes which was said to have been introduced by its former vice chancellor Professor Sunni Tyoden.

Also Read: Five varsity students arrested with drugs in Maiduguri,…

The act of this wrongful collection of this money has become a culture and bloodline among the Management of this money- making ivory towers. It was alleged that 10% of the total money is for the vice chancellor. Many names were also mentioned who collected a certain percentage. Perhaps I will be mentioning in my next piece both lectures and non- academic staff involved in this unpleasant, shaddy, and dirty deal at Unijos.

What is the rationale behind this? There is no logic or sense in this matter.  You gave students admission and also demanded an acceptance fee? Where is this practice? This is like going to buy some goods and in the process of receiving the items the shop owner wants you to redeem it with a monetary fee. What a daylight robbery by Unijos?  An insider reliably informed me that the acceptance fee started from #10.000 and moved to what it is today. 

He went further and said that Unijos is full of corrupt lecturers, administrators and some students as Labradors. According to him, there are students who always have their ways through to graduation by yielding to these corrupt individuals. “This is mostly carried out by female students either by cash or through sex.”     

‘Unijos is a reaper, where students are threatened by lecturers, exploited and extorted of their money. To bribe a lecturer is an easy thing in Unijos. The university no longer cares for the academic pursuit and welfare of her students; all they are after is money. “Some of my colleagues are neck deep in this act.” A student revealed.    

I see this university as a trading floor where you negotiate and buy your course of choice and equally bargain for your class of degree. A daughter of my friend with excellent results in both SSCE and NECO including a high score in JAMB was denied medicine because her father refused to play ball through one of the faculty ‘hunting dogs’.     

Looking at the educational space of Plateau state with focus on higher institutions of learning I will say they are rather agents of poverty to their host communities. With what is happening in these institutions mentioned, I reasonably believe it shall not augur well for her educational progress.     

Plateau leaders. Elders and stakeholders should begin to show concern and participate in the affairs of institutions of learning in their domain for smooth sail. In fact, what Unijos is doing will and shall not happen at all in some universities that I know because the leadership of the host community and her inhabitants will never take it lightly with the university management.

Some communities will prefer not to have a Federal University than to have one with such degrading culture. I hope and believe that Professor Tanko Ishaya the Vice Chancellor and his team will rise up to these matters.

Balami, a Publisher/ Columnist.    08036779290

CORRUPT INSTITUTIONS ON THE JOS PLATEAU: THE CASE OF UNIJOS