EDITORIAL: Sorting, A Poisoned Chalice For Our Universities

ASUU Logo

Once a beacon of excellence and integrity, the Nigerian university system is now rotting from within. Recent reports from institutions like Nnamdi Azikiwe University and others across the country reveal a harrowing reality,some lecturers openly admit that no matter how brilliant or hardworking a student may be, without,settling,a thinly veiled euphemism for bribery ,failure is inevitable.

This is not an isolated issue but a growing, widespread malaise crippling our tertiary institutions.

It is no longer surprising to hear of lecturers brazenly demanding money, sexual favors, or other inappropriate compensations in exchange for grades. What is shocking is the impunity with which these acts are carried out, as if the very rules of ethics and professionalism have been abandoned.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), when confronted with these troubling developments, often distances itself, claiming it is a trade union, not a regulatory body.

But can ASUU realistically claim ignorance when these practices flourish openly under its watch? When the house is on fire, pointing fingers elsewhere is no longer an option, silence is complicity.

This decay is more than corruption,it is moral collapse. It undermines the very foundation upon which a nation’s future is built, education founded is built on merit, discipline, and integrity. What message are we sending to our youth when they are taught that hard work is irrelevant, and success is a function of sorting?. We are not only failing our students, we are indoctrinating them with the dangerous idea that achievement can be bought rather than earned.

What kind of future can we expect when our universities , traditionally the womb of national development become breeding grounds for mediocrity and deceit?

A student who learns early that bribery is the key to success is likely to carry this corrupt mindset into the workplace, the civil service, and political leadership. This is how corrupt officials, unethical professionals, and failed governance emerge. The rot begins at the roots.

Universities should be sanctuaries where character is forged alongside knowledge, where students learn not only what to think but how to think critically and act with integrity. Yet, some institutions have inverted this noble vision.

Instead of promoting excellence, they normalize shortcuts. Instead of rewarding merit, they reward manipulation. This is not only dangerous for students,it endangers society at large.

The time for a reckoning is now. University governing councils, regulatory agencies such as the National Universities Commission (NUC), and student unions must move beyond empty rhetoric and commit to genuine reform. There must be robust whistleblower protections for students, clear consequences for unethical lecturers, and a resolute return to meritocracy in education. Above all, a cultural shift is imperative , from both staff and students to reaffirm the value of honesty, diligence, and learning.

This decay did not happen overnight, and it will not be reversed quickly. But action must begin somewhere. If corruption continues to fester unchecked in our universities, we should not be surprised when it becomes the default mode across our entire nation.

Let us remember this, a nation that corrupts its classrooms will soon bury its future.

At Insideoutnewsng.com, we recognize this as a grave and urgent crisis. It is no longer enough to blame politicians alone for national wooes,academics who compromise the integrity of our educational system must be held accountable. If those in academia aspire to the wealth and influence of political elites, they should pursue such ambitions transparently rather than corrupt the institutions meant to nurture the nation’s future.

Many lecturers maintain CVs with various state governments, waiting to join the corrupt networks that are ravaging the country. It is also widely known that some academics collaborate with politicians to manipulate electoral processes, hoping to secure positions of power and influence.

We all have a duty to rise against these destructive practices before our nation collapses under the weight of institutional decay. Our universities must be restored as the true engines of progress and integrity that Nigeria desperately needs.