STUDENT RIGHTS ABUSE

Article by: Bajela Oluwadamilare.

Student Rights are those rights, such as civil, constitutional, contractual and consumer rights, which regulate students rights and freedoms and allow students to make use of their educational investment. These include such things as the right to free speech and association, to due process, equality, autonomy, safety and privacy, among others.
However, it is unthinkable that these rights which are supposed to be the priorities of teachers, lecturers, school management and government are being despised, disregarded, vilified unjustly and in other words, abused. 

I see it a matter of necessity to look into this key aspect of the Nigerian Educational System as it is an important factor which undermines the attitude-to-education of students nationwide.
Research has it that many institutions worldwide engage in Student Rights Abuse but more emphasis will be made on our dear country.
Efforts have therefore been made to put together a few instances of Student Rights Abuse as it is most widely experienced in Nigerian tertiary institutions.
Most teachers, instructors, lecturers feel very reluctant to attend and deliver lectures simply because they are Professors, Doctors or what have you and they believe when they do, it is only done gratuitously but this is otherwise not the case, as they are paid for the services they render and the students are entitled to be taught.

Unfair academic treatment and denial to get value for money paid. Students are strongly denied value for consideration furnished in exchange for qualitative education. This is also inline with the indirect policy of government "give them certificates but withhold knowledge".

Sale of reading texts/ materials that are not necessarily useful and way below standards but for personal gains of the seller. What's more saddening is that even the so-called teachers and lecturers engage in this vicious act. This is a selfish and despicable act that should be totally eradicated for students to make distinguishable progress in their academic pursuit.

Ill-mannered attitude towards students. In this part of the world, most tertiary institutions are guilty of treating students like goats believing students are subjects who have to be bullied and their rights have to be trampled upon without stint.

Infringement on the powers and rights of Students Union. Placing shackles on  student unionism, refraining student unions that are supposed to speak the voice and fight for the rights of the generality of students and ensure that every student cohabits peacefully with the school management, lecturers, teaching and non-teaching personnel (security officers, cleaners, gardeners etc.) as well as other students.

Physical assault and harassment posed by security officers who fail to realize they are employed to protect and ensure peaceful operation within the school vicinity/ premises. On the contrary, they look down on students, harass them and insist on taking bribes before they perform their legitimate duties.
All of these and many more amount to Student Rights Abuse.

In order to subdue this repugnant act in our institutions of higher learning, a group of students with like minds who have come together from various tertiary institutions nationwide created a platform (HELP Students Rights Group) for victims of Student Rights Abuse and Deprivation to seek redress and enjoy optimum allocation of their democratic fundamental rights as Nigerian students.

"The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it"- Albert Einstein.


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