Analyzing the effects of corruption on tertiary education level in Adamawa state case study Yola south
Abstract.
This study is on Analyzing the effects of corruption on tertiary education level in Adamawa state case study Yola south. Data were collected from 400 respondents .The data were analyzed using frequency counts and percentages. The results indicated that corruption on tertiary education was prevalent, especially among male lecturers, and that it involves parents, students, lecturers and administrators. The study showed the main causes of corruption on tertiary education to be students’ poor study habits (68.8%) and poor entry qualifications (66%). It further showed that the effects of this corruption include delayed absorption of graduates into the labour market (91.5%) and poor quality of university graduates (87%). Some recommendations based on these findings are made.
CHAPTER ONE/INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
When people talk about corruption, usually they refer to public fund siphoned or misappropriated by civil servant, contractor, politician etc. Hardly do they think of the type of corruption that destroys the minds of our children and siphons the moral values of our society. This refers to the monumental corruption that is taking place in our educational circle. This type of corruption is more dangerous and more serious threat to the future of the young Nigerians in primary, post-primary school and higher institutions of the higher learning. There is no doubt that educational institutions in any country are the industry in which future leaders, thinkers, politicians, teachers, and workers are produced. In Nigeria, this industry has deteriorated to the extent that in place of being an agent of purifying the minds of our children to become useful members of our society, the industry is now diverting the mind of the children away from what education is all about. Therefore, if urgent care is not taken the future of the country is bleak as far as any meaningful development is concerned Balarabe (2011).
It has long been observed that Nigerian graduates are no more measure up to the standards of both internal and external evaluators. What has not been very clear in this discourse are among others: 1) the actual level of the deterioration at various levels of our educational systems 2) the rate at which the attitude of our students is changing negatively towards education 3) the rate at which parents are struggling hard – willingly and knowingly to help their children get grades and certificates devoid of the requisite knowledge 4) the level of deterioration of the moral values of the custodians of knowledge (teachers and lecturers) to the extent that they are now certifying that someone is knowledgeable while they know he is not, and 5) the level of government negligence to education and the role of that in the deterioration of the system. These are areas that need thorough investigation (Balarabe, n.d.).
The Nigerian educational circle has become an open field harboring corrupt practices that rankles among players such as policy makers, bureaucrats in various educational ministries and school officials responsible for the school management, parents and students. The sector is marked by infrastructural decays, inefficient and poorly skilled teachers, and dilapidated school structures etc., fueled by general apathy by government to education (Auwal, 2013). However, corruption is the social problem that has interested many research scholars. To Ruzindana (1999), it is an asset in Africa which has created a problem of routine decorator from established standards, norms by public officials and parties with whom they interact. According to Wike (2014) it is a serious damage in education circle because it endangers a country’s social economic and political future. Also, the quality of education students received under this dreadful atmosphere is highly appalling. The standard dropped to the extent that the minimal score for Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has drastically dropped to 180 as against 200 out of 400 total score in the years back. It is an open secret that students hire machineries to pass standard examinations in schools. Invigilators are also not left out in this gruesome cesspool of corruption; as they are rumored to be paid to enable machineries write exams for students, (Olugbenga, 2012) of which if the government is not been careful, the nation would produce corrupt Professors in the future (Onu, 2014).
Also Administrative staff also compound issues for students by withholding students’ results to force their hands to bride or show appreciation to them before their results can be released. Unethical behavior in the school has forced female students into prostitution, as they use their bodies to lure lecturers for favours; while male students resort to cultism as a means of protection. Students pay bribe to be given admission into universities. This begs the question of the quality of Nigeria future leaders (Auwal, 2013).
It is against this backdrop that the study set to Analyze the effects of corruption on tertiary education level
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Academic corruption is a problem requiring scholarly attention because it impedes qualitative university education. One other reason is because of the low quality performance variable ratings which were reported to be below average in Nigeria, in which Nigerian universities were not ranked among the best 20 in Africa (Okebukola, 2005). More importantly, academic corruption is a problem due to the public outcry of fallen standard of education both in the news and print media. For instance, the demand for gratification by teachers among others, have led to the fallen standard of education in Nigeria (Babalola, 2010).
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of this study was to Analyzing the effects of corruption on tertiary education level in Adamawa state case study Yola south. Specifically, the study sought to:
- Examine the prevalence of corruption on tertiary education among students and lecturers.
- Ascertain the main causes of corruption on tertiary education among students and lecturers.
- Determine the effects of corruption on tertiary education on the quality of graduates.
1.4 Research Questions
The study sought answers to the following questions:
- Does corruption on tertiary education exist among students and lecturers?
- What are the main causes of corruption on tertiary education?
- What are the effects of corruption on tertiary education on quality of university graduates?
1.5 Scope of the Study
This study is on analyzing the effects of corruption on tertiary education level it were restricted to some selected tertiary institutions in Yola, Adamawa state
1.6 Limitations of the Study
Incidences of corruption on tertiary education border on the integrity and moral standards of individuals within a society. Thus, this study has some limitations. First, the data generated for this study were self-reported and, therefore vulnerable to deceit, ignorance and biases of the variables among the respondents. Second, there is the possibility that the outcome of the study could have been different if a larger sample size was used. Third, participants were selected from two universities in the area, limiting the study’s applicability to universities within yola Lastly, the population used belong to a culture where self disclosure is a problem since individuals hold secret what they regard to be personal matters.
1.7 Definition of Terms
Tertiary education : refers to any type of education pursued beyond the high school level. This includes diplomas, undergraduate and graduate certificates, and associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees.
Corruption: In general, corruption is a form of dishonesty or criminal activity undertaken by a person or organization entrusted with a position of authority,
Academic Corruption: Academic dishonesty, academic misconduct, academic fraud and academic integrity are related concepts that refer to various actions on the part of students that go against the expected norms of a school, university or other learning institution
EDUCATION
Osindeinde (1999) stated that education is an organized and sustained communication designed to bring about learning which involves the acquisition of basic and necessary skills, knowledge and competence by the learner to change his/her attitude positively towards contributing to the national economic development
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