Can we learn lessons from University of Cape Coast (UCC) example?
When at all will we learn? Oh mankind! One may not be wrong to say that in Ghana, virtually every year, tertiary academic institutions sack or expel students for one reason or the other. If it's not about or due to exams malpractices, then it could be presentation of fake entry results.
One would like to find out what kind of due diligence do school authorities perform before students are offered admissions? Please, permit the writer to share few instances to buttress this canker:
1. According to Professor Ivan Addae-Mensah, between 2002 and 2007, 155 students have been sacked from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) for entering the university with fake secondary school exams results and 113 also expelled from University of Ghana (UG) for similar offences within the same period, (GNA, 27 October, 2007).
2. KNUST) expelled thirty (30) students with fake results. Thirty second-year students of KNUST were summarily expelled for presenting forged results slips and other illegal documents to secure admission to the university. This is attributed to University Relations Officer, Mr Solomon Pamford when speaking to the Daily Graphic in Kumasi (modernghana.com/news, 3 February 2010).
3. Tamale Polytechnic sacked twenty-three (23) students over fake results. Authorities of the Tamale Polytechnic have taken disciplinary measures against 23 past and present students after it was uncovered that they used fake result slips to gain admission to the institution. While the past students would not be awarded their certificates although they had completed their studies, those in school have been dismissed. The Public Relations Officer of the polytechnic, Mr. Mohammed Aziz, who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic, said the dismissals were the appropriate punishment for such offences, because these students do not merit their status. Per Mr. Aziz’s account, the records of some of the affected students showed that they were admitted during the 2006/2007 academic year and had therefore completed their studies (modernghana.com/news, 1 June 2011).
4. Koforidua Polytechnic expelled Nineteen (19) students over fake exam results. These were Nineteen (19) second year students of the Polytechnic. The acting rector of the polytechnic, Dr. Godfred K. Abledu announced this at the 19th matriculation ceremony of the polytechnic. (graphic.com.gh, Dec 16, 2014).
5. 39 students of UPSA under investigation for fake exams results, (myxyzonline.com, 23 October, 2017).
6. University for Development Studies (UDS) expelled eighteen (18) final year students over falsified WASSCE results. The affected final year students of UDS said to have secured admission with falsified results slips from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) have been dismissed from the university. A statement signed and issued by the Registrar of UDS, Dr. A.B.T Zakariah said the decision to sack the students was taken after a probe. (educationghana.net, May 30, 2018).
Please, permit the writer to use UCC model. Without missing words or contradiction, one can say that UCC has always had collaborations with West African Examinations Council (WACE) to verify and certify candidate results before admission letters are issued. Therefore, one can wholly, exclusively and also not farfetched to say that UCC is always ahead when it comes to basics.
Advent of Technology has made it even easier, simpler and faster for academic institutions to ask potential applicants to fill and submit application forms online. Again, one wants to use UCC method since one is not privy to what happens in other institutions. Potential applicants, students and graduates can testify. Whilst applying online for admission into UCC, one needs only to input his/her index number, year of examination and automatically ones' results pop-up. One does NOT need, and CANNOT manually input his/her results be it genuine or fictitious. UCC admissions portal interfaces with WAEC data and therefore, no one can get any chance to dribble his/her way to the "University of Choice" It is believed that if other academic institutions and agencies that depend on WAEC would collaborate effectively with WAEC, this perennial canker that raises its ugly head every year could be nipped in the bud.
In the words of Professor Ivan Addae-Mensah, "When parents pay their wards way through the academic education system, we only end up raising a generation of academically highly educated but morally and ethically bankrupt youth." He said, "A highly educated person without morals and respect is not an asset to the nation." "This is how come we have very learned corrupt people in society who embezzle state and company funds and are able to cover their tracks very efficiently because they have the knowhow.
"The type of educated people we are raising today gives a negative connotation to the saying that the pen is mightier than the sword because now the educated use the pen to run our economy down through corruption instead of the sword," he said. Prof. Addae-Mensah said it was not surprising therefore that people who exposed corruption in public office were threatened with murder whiles society rather made heroes of persons who made money fraudulently. Prof. Addae-Mensah appealed to parents to desist from paying their children's way through academic education and rather challenge, motivate and guide them into achieving success through hard work.
It is evidently clear that these potential criminals (students who have been rusticated) are caught and punished before they complete school, if possible. However, one critical question that agitates in the minds of many is what happens to their collaborators who facilitate this 'cleverly' criminal activity?
Criminals are always finding ways and means to circumvent systems so therefore, we should also be smarter ahead of them by strategically putting controls in place. Professional experts are of the view that trust is good but controls are always better.
Please, have enjoyable and blissful life.