Illegal ‘handouts’ trade continues in schools

Many tertiary institutions across the country have outlawed selling of lecture notes, handouts and pamphlets to students by lecturers over the past few years on the grounds that the act places extra financial burden on parents and stifled research, originality and independent work by students. But more and more lecturers have refused to heed to […]

Many tertiary institutions across the country have outlawed selling of lecture notes, handouts and pamphlets to students by lecturers over the past few years on the grounds that the act places extra financial burden on parents and stifled research, originality and independent work by students.
But more and more lecturers have refused to heed to the ban and rather, the selling of course materials has scaled up in many campuses and classrooms.
Students who could afford these materials were allegedly awarded better marks and grades while unfair treatment is meted out to those who fail to buy them. There were allegations that students who could not buy handouts were made to repeat classes or carryover some courses.
In some institutions, handouts are sold secretly because of the ban placed on them but in others handouts are sold openly like any essential commodity.  
Students of FCT College of Education Zuba have complained of high level of extortion by their lecturers who were accused of selling course materials.
The college students said they were forced to buy hand-out at exorbitant prices or risk carrying over a course in subsequent session. They lamented that lecturers impose on them handouts and books they may not necessarily need.
A student of the institution who preferred anonymity claimed she failed a course because she failed to buy a course material sold three times the original price.
She said buying handouts has become pre-requisite for students to pass exams, the failure of which would result in the student retaking the course.
“I was given carry over in one of the courses because I didn’t buy the material the lecturer gave the class rep to sell at an exorbitant price. The handout that was sold for N600 costs N120 to photocopy,” she said, adding, “At the last page of the hand-out is a numbered assignment with the lecturer’s signature.”
A final year student of Economics at the University of Abuja also corroborated the claim. She told Daily Trust that the act has been a source of concern to the students as many struggle hard to pay the huge money lecturers demand.
The student said they were allegedly compelled to part with large sums of money to get grades because no one could risk carrying over a course.
“Some courses’ materials cost high. I had to get an alternative source of income to generate cash for grades as that remains the only way to graduate on record time,” she said.
A graduate of the institution who also pleaded not to be named said some lecturers usually asked the students to buy handouts whether they are useful or not.
“I think the lecturers should be considerate, not every student has the means to buy these handouts. They shouldn’t impose it on the students at all as long as they have paid school fees and can make photocopies of the handouts at a cheaper rate because it is also photocopies the lecturers distribute,” he said.
When contacted, the management of the COE Zuba denied the allegation, saying selling of hand-out had been banned for long.
The provost, Dr. Muhammad Gambo Hamza, said “Selling of handouts has been banned totally, not now but since the inception of my administration. If a lecturer sells handout without our knowledge and students don’t complain to the appropriate authority because of ignorance or fear of unknown, that one is left to them.
“In my speech, during the inauguration of our administration, I told them that selling of handout is prohibited. We have our suggestion box which nobody has access to the key except me. Students are advised to write anonymously and we have promised to prosecute any lecturer found guilty.” 
He, however, said no student has, so far, complained of any lecturer selling handout either verbal or written.
On punishment for any lecturer found guilty, he said, “Since we banned the sale of hand-out, anyone who sells it has violated the institution’s regulations and will surely face the disciplinary committee for questioning.
“Punishment depends on the gravity of offence, if found guilty; the committee will recommend to the management the kind of punishment he/she deserves.”
Also, a lecturer at the University of Abuja said the selling of handouts by lecturers had been outlawed.