The Kogi State Government says it is committed to eradicating educational corruption, reason it has since declared a total war on educational corruption, describing it as a cankerworm that has negated teaching and learning.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Pastor Emmanuel Idenyi, made the disclosure at the 5th graduation/speech and prize giving day as well as the second valedictory service of Anchor International Schools Lokoja, called on Educational leaders and Institutions to make the fight against corruption in the sector a priority.
Pastor Emmanuel Idenyi who was represented at the occasion by Mrs. Olabis Oshagbemi, called on Educational institutions of learning to be in the vanguard for the fight to shun corrupt educational tendencies capable of undermining teaching and learning in educational institutions.
The Permanent Secretary who was the Guest Speaker at the occasion, listed Examination malpractices by students, and professional misconduct by teachers as some ills that leads to corruption in the Educational Sector.
The Guest Speaker also noted the rising cases of sex for marks, deliberate failure to teach students as some challenges facing the Educational sector, said until the right environment is created by Educational institutions to churn out quality graduates, the Society would be a product of a faulty foundation.
While urging citizens not to place undue emphasis on Educational qualifications, he rather called on teachers and students to always be well equipped for teaching and and for learning to be prepared well for examinations.
As a way of fighting corruption, the Permanent Secretary urged citizens to develop courage in reporting to the relevant authorities issues of corruption in the Educational Sector, assuring that the present administration in the State with the passage of the Kogi State Educational Law is irrevocably committed to improving the education system.
He also encouraged all well meaning individuals in the country to join hands in encouraging persons fighting corruption in the Educational institutions, insisting that the cankerworm thrives when people maintain i don’t care attitude.
While calling for moral Re-orientation and revamping traditional values, Pastor Emmanuel Idenyi called on people to see success by dint of hard work as the true meaning of success, appealed to citizens to refuse to participate in corruption in what ever level in the Academia.
In a speech delivered by Mrs. Helen Mathias, said the dream of Anchor International Schools Lokoja, which is to assist the pupils and students dream, discover and actualize their destinies.
While urging the graduands to uphold the ideals of becoming future leaders of the country, she expressed optimism that they will be moulders of future scholars and leaders in all fields of endeavors.
