The authorities of the Kogi State Polytechnic have suspended a lecturer for allegedly compelling students to buy handouts as a prerequisite to passing their examinations.
The lecturer, whose identity was not disclosed, was also said to have failed students who did not buy the handouts despite having good scores.
The Rector of the school, Usman Salisu Ogbo disclosed this when the President, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comrade Sunday Asefon, and his entourage visited the management of the school on Thursday.
Ogbo said it was unfair to the educational system for any lecturer to force students to pay for textbooks in order to pass their examinations.
He alleged that some forces in the school were working against his moves to stop such things.
“We had cases whereby some lecturers would insist that if students failed to buy their textbooks, they would fail their examination. We also have cases whereby those students that bought books and those that did not buy will be separated. This is pure wickedness.
“Buying of textbooks is not a justification for students to pass their examination. We always encourage our students to read their books, that is why we insisted that lecturers who have books should place them in our school bookshops and not make it compulsory for students to buy them. Despite our clear intentions, some cabals are not happy,” he said.
