Our greatest headache in UNIMAID is exam malpractice, says VC

Aliyu Shugaba, the vice-chancellor (VC) at the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID), says the most rampant challenge the institution is faced with is exam malpractice.

Shugaba spoke at a NAN forum in Abuja on Sunday about the varsity’s efforts in tackling exam malpractice, cultism, drug abuse, and lecturers who solicit sex in exchange for grades.

The VC said exam malpractice is the most reported case in the university.

“There is no single exam we conduct that we do not have students that do that kind of thing. But when we catch them doing it, we have ways of making them realise their mistakes,” he said.

“We have always counselled them. We have always embarked on campaigns using billboards, orientation programmes and the radio station to tell them about the consequences.”

Shugaba explained how the institution has checked the menace of drug abuse through collaboration with National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

“We bring the NDLEA to the campus to counsel the students on the effects of drugs,” he said.

“So, that has brought it to the barest minimum. But our greatest headache is the examination malpractice where, every semester, we have reports.

“We bring the students before the committee, examine and give them chance to defend themselves. Those found guilty depending on the level of the offence will either be expelled or suspended for one or two semesters.

“Because we are doing that, it is gradually reducing. In the last two semesters, there haven’t been many cases.

“We have had some that were expelled but if you consider the total number of students on the campus the number expelled is negligible.”

The VC said the institution was boosting measures to check cultism, drug abuse and other social vices properly.

“We have never had a situation of cultism on the campus, it is always outside the campus very close to the university,” he added.

“Those that need to be expelled will be expelled. Those that need to be rusticated for one semester or two will be given the appropriate punishment.

“There was something that happened and it involved one of the military guys on campus. We reported to the military authorities and they took swift action against that officer of theirs.

“That was the only thing that happened on the campus, they were trying to initiate someone and I think the guy has been dismissed from the military; so we do not have much of that problem.”