KADUNA — THE Federal Government says it has developed a blueprint to be used in curbing cultism in the universities and other tertiary institutions in the country.
It has also endorsed the introduction of dress codes for students by some universities and directed other institutions which had not done so to fashion out their own mode of dressing for their students to reduce cases of rape and sexual harrassment.
Minister of Education, Prof. Fabian Osuji made these known while declaring open, the sixth joint consultative meeting of the Policy Committee on Admissions into universities in Kaduna yesterday.
The minister’s statement came on the heels of an announcement by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation’s Board (JAMB) that about 831,051 candidates took part in the last Universities Matriculation Examination (UME) in 116 centres.
Osuji also directed vice-chancellors of universities to harmonise their academic calenders with effect from the 2004/2005 session to reduce the problems associated with administrations.
The minister said that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had considered and approved the blueprint on cultism and urged vice-chancellors, rectors of polytechnics and provosts of colleges of education to set up committee headed by them to tackle the menace which was threatening the foundation of education in the country. “Each institution must urgently establish appropriate committees headed by the vice-chancellor, rector or provost personally or at least his deputy, to ensure the full and effective implementation of provisions of the blue print.
“Head of institutions in places like Enugu, Ibadan or Lagos (where there are several institutions of higher learning) should meet regularly and harmonise their operations to tackle cultism.
"There is a lot of co-operation also by cult members in nearby campuses. Such a committee must report to the council of the institution every quarter and subsequently to the Honourable Minister of Education through the relevant Executive Secretary,” he said.
On dress codes for students, Prof. Osuji congratulated "the executive heads of institutions that have put in place dress codes,” adding that “we cannot on one hand complain of rape and promiscuity on our campuses while on the other hand we condone our students exposing themselves indecently in scanty and provocative attires.”
