Sexual Harassment And Educational Performance
By Mark Idrah
Not long ago, the educational system in Nigerian Universities has been faced with increasing impact of the problem of moral decadence which shows a fall in standard and societal expectations and its overriding effect on student-lecturer relationship and interactions, especially in the part of sexual harassment.
Sexual harassment is a menace which negatively affects its victims. It is considered to be one out of the numerous social problems that has eaten deep into the fabrics of the University system, with the implication of both male and female gender. Sexual harassment is an unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favours and other verbal or physical conduct of sexual nature. It is a silent disease that is seriously eroding academic excellence in tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
The University of Calabar which is the centre of discussion for this essay, is one of such Institution in the Southern geopolitical zone that has been in the fore front of sexual harassment and poor educational performance from students. These poor performance is not actually measured on the basis of higher or lower grades, but on the defense of the grades given to students. Studies show that most of the female students of the University of Calabar offer their bodies to their male counterparts in exchange for help in writing term papers and exams, and also to lecturers for grades.
The University of Calabar is one Institution that has been bedeviled with obsessive dressings, secret cult activities and drug related influences to mention but a few. Most of the students almost go naked, displaying their navels and breasts, putting on skimpy wears that exposes cleavages on display, size and shape of what is supposed to be their hidden treasures, which barely cover their bodies. These are weapons of mass distraction and sexual harassment.
Some of the students are so morally bankrupt that they rely absolutely on their woman power to pass their examinations. They seduce fellow male students or examiners to assist them write their exams or award them pass marks as the case may be. Sexual harassment is an everyday experience in the University, and it is characterized as one of the most omnipresent and rampant form of gender based violence which many ladies face daily. Recently, the Senate of the University through the Vice-Chancellor, passed a law banning indecent dressing on campus.
This step taken by the Senate of the University is highly commendable and also suggest that further steps be taken to deal with lecturers and examiners who demand sexual favour from students in exchange for grades.
