Don Blasts University Students for Truancy

Don Blasts University Students for Truancy

A SENIOR lecturer at the Saint Augustine University (SAUT) in Mwanza, Dr Odass Bilame, has blasted students of higher learning institutions over poor lecture attendances.

He went on to claim that a substantial number of students were bribing lecturers to attain higher marks in their final results without attending lectures. Dr Bilame revealed that he has faced numerous cases of students, some taking Master's Degree courses, seeking such favours.

"We have a problem today that many students in higher learning institutions want to excel in their final exams so cheaply. They crave for 'A's but do nothing to acquire them.

I can't give an 'A' to someone who is not 'A' material," he said. He added that it was astonishing that students are ready to bribe lecturers to get best results while they shun attending lectures and challenged lecturers to adhere to their professional ethics and stop entertaining such students. Dr Bilame showed dismay over a tendency by students to go for cheap degrees, a scenario that threatens education development and leads to the production of half-baked products.

He said the 'virus' of students' truancy in lecture halls is not only found in secondary schools, but was also rampant in universities and that is why it is alarmingly noted that many graduates cannot demonstrate as degree materials. The don challenged the government to introduce a special programme which will see much better performance in the education sector, particularly in secondary schools and beyond.

He suggested the government to set up an arrangement like it is the case of seminary schools where boys and girls school separately, well facilitated and are therefore performing well.Giving an example of the Department of Economics at SAUT; Dr Bilame said that recent results show that out of ten best performers in Economics, at least five to seven students are female who studied at girls' secondary schools.

"The government has to make sure it invests in establishing secondary schools with best facilities and best students and this will make universities produce best graduates as well," he said. Commenting on the state of the education sector, SAUT Vice- Chancellor, Dr Charles Kitima said it was evident that many teachers especially in ward secondary schools cannot manage to teach and instruct in English.

He said failure to review the medium of instruction in secondary schools would worsen the situation, suggesting for all teachers both in primary and secondary schools to attend special remedial classes to sharpen their English skills. He said time has come where parents must start complementing government efforts in funding for education; suggesting for them to start paying special taxes that will be invested in improving the sector.

Deliberate strategies should be made for the government to make sure universities like his are subsidised to provide education even to those who cannot afford the fees, simply because their parents are poor. "This year alone, SAUT has been forced to discontinue 700 students from classes for not paying tuition fees. We are not ready to lose them but we cannot equally afford to teach them for free," he said.