SEX FOR MARKS
Jul 28, 2009
PARENTS, EMPLOYERS FUELLING THE VICE<br><br><b>By Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba</b><br><br>This is in reference to the constant media reports that our universities are giving students free marks in exchange for sex, or as commonly put: ‘sex for
PARENTS, EMPLOYERS FUELLING THE VICE
By Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba
This is in reference to the constant media reports that our universities are giving students free marks in exchange for sex, or as commonly put: ‘sex for marks.’
Exchanging marks for sex can be initiated by either the student or lecturer. Why would a student sacrifice his/ her life for better grades, risking catching HIV in this day and era? There are several reasons:
Pressure from parents, employers
Right from nursery school to university, parents are so obsessed with children’s grades.
They rush to newspapers to pose with their “winning†children after P7, S4 and S6 results have been released. They are not bothered whether their children have skills or not. Some parents force their children to take degree programmes which they do not like. This makes it hard for them to pass, hence resorting to the easy way out — using money or their bodies.
Employers emphasise excellent performance when recruiting fresh graduates. Students, therefore, turn to sex with their lecturers to fulfill these requirements.
Poor education system
Grades obtained at P7 will determine which school one joins for secondary education. During the selection of S.1 and S.5 entrants, first world schools choose the best performing students. When students join university, their aim is to get a first class degree, and those who cannot make it may end up offering their bodies to lecturers.
Pressure from work, university
Many working students do not get enough time to study. The situation is made worse by employers who do not all allow them study leave or time to sit examinations. In such a dilemma, some students use money or their bodies to pass.
Most universities dismiss students after failing a compulsory course three times. A student who has failed twice may use all means to avoid being dismissed. There are also lecturers who fail students just to lure them into sex.
Moral decay
Due to the rot in our society, students, especially at university, have been known to ‘sleep around.’A student who is willing to sleep around for ‘fun’ will definitely have no qualms about having sex for marks. This trend of ‘free sexuality’, coupled with other pressures, definitely enhances ‘sex for marks’.
Cases hard to investigate
The legal structure of assuming innocence until one is proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt, presents a challenge to curbing the practice. Many students do not report cases of sexual misconduct by lecturers. Even when reported, it is hard to conclusively investigate such claims.
With the above examples, it is clear that we cannot apportion blame. However, as stakeholders, we need to come up with preventive measures. These may include:
- Changing the examination process by doing more oral examinations before a panel and emphasising practicals. In this case, a student would be assessed by more lecturers rather than one.
- Ensuring that first class graduates are, indeed, first class. Passing out all-round graduates that have both theoretical and practical skills.
- Employers focusing on skills rather than the class of the degree.
- Parents giving their children freedom to pursue course of their choice.
- Harsh measures like imprisonment and dismissal for lecturers and students.
- Instilling ethics in our society.
The writer is the dean of the Faculty of Computing and IT, Makerere University
By Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba
This is in reference to the constant media reports that our universities are giving students free marks in exchange for sex, or as commonly put: ‘sex for marks.’
Exchanging marks for sex can be initiated by either the student or lecturer. Why would a student sacrifice his/ her life for better grades, risking catching HIV in this day and era? There are several reasons:
Pressure from parents, employers
Right from nursery school to university, parents are so obsessed with children’s grades.
They rush to newspapers to pose with their “winning†children after P7, S4 and S6 results have been released. They are not bothered whether their children have skills or not. Some parents force their children to take degree programmes which they do not like. This makes it hard for them to pass, hence resorting to the easy way out — using money or their bodies.
Employers emphasise excellent performance when recruiting fresh graduates. Students, therefore, turn to sex with their lecturers to fulfill these requirements.
Poor education system
Grades obtained at P7 will determine which school one joins for secondary education. During the selection of S.1 and S.5 entrants, first world schools choose the best performing students. When students join university, their aim is to get a first class degree, and those who cannot make it may end up offering their bodies to lecturers.
Pressure from work, university
Many working students do not get enough time to study. The situation is made worse by employers who do not all allow them study leave or time to sit examinations. In such a dilemma, some students use money or their bodies to pass.
Most universities dismiss students after failing a compulsory course three times. A student who has failed twice may use all means to avoid being dismissed. There are also lecturers who fail students just to lure them into sex.
Moral decay
Due to the rot in our society, students, especially at university, have been known to ‘sleep around.’A student who is willing to sleep around for ‘fun’ will definitely have no qualms about having sex for marks. This trend of ‘free sexuality’, coupled with other pressures, definitely enhances ‘sex for marks’.
Cases hard to investigate
The legal structure of assuming innocence until one is proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt, presents a challenge to curbing the practice. Many students do not report cases of sexual misconduct by lecturers. Even when reported, it is hard to conclusively investigate such claims.
With the above examples, it is clear that we cannot apportion blame. However, as stakeholders, we need to come up with preventive measures. These may include:
- Changing the examination process by doing more oral examinations before a panel and emphasising practicals. In this case, a student would be assessed by more lecturers rather than one.
- Ensuring that first class graduates are, indeed, first class. Passing out all-round graduates that have both theoretical and practical skills.
- Employers focusing on skills rather than the class of the degree.
- Parents giving their children freedom to pursue course of their choice.
- Harsh measures like imprisonment and dismissal for lecturers and students.
- Instilling ethics in our society.
The writer is the dean of the Faculty of Computing and IT, Makerere University