By Calista Oyeoba / Posted December 9, 2024
‘Sex for Grade’ has been a silent menace going on in almost every academic institution worldwide, without proper conversation on how to stem the tide. And the statistics of this misconduct are not known because most cases are either not reported or are buried under the carpet.
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This practice where student engage in sexual relationship with their lecturers or administrators in order to have some good grades in their academic in exchange for filial favour. In recent years, this unwholesome practice has raised concerns which compromises academic integrity and excellence.
In a normal academic institution, the lecturers or some administrators have power over their students’ academic career. This power has been progressively weaponized against the vulnerable students. The resulting imbalance has created a helpless environment where a student may feel forced to engage in sexual relationship with a single or several lecturers in exchange for better grades or any form of academic advancement.
In such a fluid and compromised situation, who should be blamed is the question agitating the minds relevant government agencies or NGOs?
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Many analysts are wont to blame the students for engaging in such acts. But the conversation cannot be complete without also apportioning blame on the lecturers for abusing the sacred trust of their oversight on the students. The responsibility for civilized mentoring rests on the lecturers who have form the degrading habit to abuse their position of authority.
Unarguably. The lecturers should bear a greater responsibility for maintaining professional boundaries and shunning immoral conducts. They have a duty to care for their students and are expected to uphold a higher standard in their chosen career
Not mentioning specific cases, there abound many instances where schools were thrown into scandals of immensurable public relations dilemma because a student has been allegedly forced into having inappropriate relations with a lecturer in order to garner unmerited grades. And also, some weak lecturers have been unable to resist some bold and adventurous students who come on them barely clothed or spontaneously nude in closed space.
It must be noted that academic Institutions should have an important role to play in preventing and addressing the issue of ‘sex-for-grade’ practice. They can establish monitoring mechanism or specific initiatives to report and address allegations of sexual misconduct. Additionally, they can provide inclusive training and support for lectures and student to recognize boundaries of acceptable conduct in the academic environment, which will go a long way to prevent such inherent unfair treatment.
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Overall, students must be aware of their own boundaries and not overstep their mentorship space. The institutions have a greater responsibility to set, maintain professional standards and prevent exploitation. This collaborative awareness can create a safer and more inclusive academic environment, were both lecturers and students can thrive in scholarship.
NOTE: This story was researched and written by Calista Oyeoba.
Calista is on internship at DDNEWSONLINE.COM from the Department of Mass Communication, Ekocity Polytechnic, Lagos