The Enugu State government has reaffirmed its commitment to eliminating the sex-for-grade menace in its tertiary institutions, warning that any offender, regardless of their position, will face severe consequences.
This declaration was made on Wednesday, September 25th, 2024, during a one-day meeting involving knowledge management stakeholders and leaders from tertiary education institutions, focused on the "state-level adoption of the model anti-sexual harassment policy in Enugu State," convened by the state Ministry of Education.
Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, the Secretary to the State Government, delivered a passionate address at the meeting, emphasizing that Governor Peter Mbah is resolute on this issue and intends to make an example of multiple offenders.
"His Excellency is very determined about this, and when the Hon. Commissioner informed me that we've progressed to policy development, I was thrilled," he stated.
"We are prepared to hold individuals accountable in this state. Academics found guilty of harassing students or soliciting sexual favours for grades will be swiftly prosecuted. I assure you that, once the information is processed, those individuals will face immediate legal action."
Prof. Onyia also mentioned that the state intends to engage the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) as a partner in this initiative, reinforcing the government's zero tolerance for such misconduct. He noted that several sting operations have already been conducted at various institutions.
"This policy establishes the framework for our vision as a state, and I urge everyone to collaborate in this endeavor, as the Enugu State government, under His Excellency, is firmly committed.
"This policy will extend to secondary schools as well, and we will engage closely with female students. Our sting operations will capture offenders regardless of their age."
He expressed disappointment at the absence of some Vice Chancellors at such an important meeting, stressing the necessity for their attendance in future discussions since this issue demands serious attention.
In his remarks, the state Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ndubueze Mbah, provided an overview of the policy's formulation, noting that the "policy document is the result of extensive collaborative research, assessment, peer review, and feedback."
Prof. Mbah explained that they are working alongside the Gender Mobile Initiative and the ICPC to implement the National Anti-sexual Harassment Policy in Tertiary Institutions. This meeting marks the second step following the gathering in Abuja in June 2024.
"This initiative is part of our commitment to creating safe campuses. We aim to foster an inclusive and respectable academic environment where students and professionals can learn without fear of threats or harassment.
"This is part of His Excellency, Barr. Peter Mbah's mandate for ethical leadership in Enugu State, and the Gender Mobile partners have expressed satisfaction with the turnout at today’s meeting."
He further disclosed that the Anti-sexual Harassment Policy encompasses all educational levels—basic schools, senior secondary, and tertiary institutions—but implementation will begin with tertiary education and then expand to the basic education system.
Explaining how this policy will be rolled out to the institutions, Dr. Ernest Ogezi, the Learning Measurement and Evaluation Manager at the Gender Mobile Initiative, said, "Enugu is setting the standard by developing a state-level anti-sexual harassment policy, which is commendable."
He added that the policy will be tailored to each institution, emphasizing that "we'll collaborate with every school to understand their unique context and integrate it into their anti-sexual harassment policy, as no two institutions share the same circumstances."
"We begin by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the institution. Through this MoU, we will launch the Campus Safety Initiative (CSI), which is built on four pillars.
"Next, we will establish a Technical Working Group (TWG) that will be trained by the ICPC. The state has already introduced us to various institutions, including private ones.
"We will also appoint campus ambassadors and conduct town hall meetings with students and faculty."
He further explained that the Model Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy, adopted by the Federal Ministry of Education, was developed by the ICPC in collaboration with the Gender Mobile Initiative.
"This policy aims to promote gender equality by addressing and eradicating sexual and gender-based violence and tackling intersectional gender inequality within society through a lens of prevention.
In an interview with journalists, Kennedy Ebuhotemen, the Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner for ICPC in Enugu and Ebonyi states, emphasized that the commission is taking decisive action to combat the alarming trend of sexual harassment, insisting there will be no sacred cows.
He also reaffirmed their commitment to partnering with the Enugu State government to "cleanse our educational institutions of sexual harassment, raise awareness, and develop comprehensive policies to guide victims on how to respond when faced with harassment."
He added, "The ICPC will not tolerate anyone who misuses their position to gain undue advantages or facilitate activities that harm society. We are committed to prosecuting offenders within the bounds of the law."
"We start by signing an MoU with the institution. Through this MoU, we will introduce the Campus Safety Initiative (CSI) to the school which has four Pillers.
"We're going to set up the Technical Working Group (TWG) which will be trained by the ICPC and the state has already introduced us to the institutions in the state including the private ones.
"We're going to set-up campus Ambassadors and have town hall meetings with students and lecturers."
He added that the Model Anti-sexual Harassment Policy which has been adopted by the federal ministry of education was developed by the ICPC in collaboration with Gender Mobile Initiative and they seek to enhance gender equality and "we do this by ensuring that sexual and gender based violence is removed and we're working on eradicating intersectional gender inequality in the society and we do this through the lense of sexual and gender based violence prevention."
Speaking with Journalists, the Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner, ICPC, Enugu and Ebonyi states, Kennedy Ebuhotemen said the commission is taking the bull by the horn in arresting the ugly trend of sexual harassment, adding that there will be no sacred cow.
He also disclosed their commitment to partnering with Enugu State government to "sanitize the educational institutions to ensure that the issue of sexual harassment becomes a thing of the past, sensitise the educational institutions and also design a comprehensive policy on this and keep them informed on what to do when they're harassed.
He added that; "ICPC will not condone anyone who uses his position to confer undue advantage and facilitate vices that are inimical to the well-being of the society. We're doing everything within the law to prosecute offenders."
JOURNALIST101 reports that the meeting was attended by all the public and private schools in the state.
https://journalist101.com/2024/09/26/enugu-govt-speaks-tough-on-sex-for-grade-menace-in-tertiary-institutions-says-heads-will-roll/
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