Re: El-Rufai, first class & academic Nazis on campus
Following is a selection of readers’ reactions to last week’s column. There were those who disagreed, those who agreed and those who both agreed and disagreed. There were those who joined me in commending el-Rufai for creating the policy. Last week, I wrote: “[I’m] considering the havoc the academic Nazis on our campuses could wreck […]
Following is a selection of readers’ reactions to last week’s column. There were those who disagreed, those who agreed and those who both agreed and disagreed. There were those who joined me in commending el-Rufai for creating the policy.
Last week, I wrote: “[I’m] considering the havoc the academic Nazis on our campuses could wreck on a new policy introduced by the Kaduna State government.
“El-Rufai has offered to sponsor Kaduna State indigenes who graduate with first class in any field to any university of their choice. The beneficiaries are free to choose to go to the big universities, including Harvard, MIT and Stanford.
“This is an excellent policy that gives hope to our university students. For example, anyone who graduates from Harvard knows that he has a meal ticket for life. The policy also gives them something to which to look forward to, something for which to compete.
“We have no doubt of the fact that Kaduna would soon be bubbling with heady scholars who would be breathing new ideas. It appears that el-Rufai is trying to clone people like himself. It also appears that this is the smart way to do it.”
Readers, such as Sani Bako and Usman Zakari, agree:
“The policy is undoubtedly a fantastic one as it has a huge promise to engender a tribe of consummate academics, captains of industries and sundry greats. However, in view of differences in the culture of universities, which ultimately determines the production of first class graduates, I’d rather 2/1 graduates are included and some kind of examination used for selection. When I graduated from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria some years ago, as usual, there was no first class in my department and only about 2 percent made a 2/1. That same year, about 40 percent of the graduates of another university made a 2/1!!! Abi we no know book?”
Sani Bako Mohammed
“Bravo to governor el-Rufai for this laudable offer given to only the best of the best. Kaduna and the entire northern Nigeria will sure reap bountifully from this quite uncommon opportunity. I hope the prospective beneficiaries do us proud when they go to the Ivy-Leagues by not only excelling but also being the best over there. And as candidly analysed, our lecturers who partly maliciously make it impossible for our colleges to produce As should please remember that ‘like father like son’ and, the joke is on them if they can’t produce first class.”
Usman Zakari Ibrahim
Also, I specifically counted Ahmadu Bello University as one of those universities that may stymie the policy: “Therefore, it is not the policy (which is excellent by the way) that is the problem. The spot of bother lies on our campuses – with the lecturers, the academic Nazis, if you will. The local universities, such as the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, are supposed to be feeders for this policy, but I can bet my last kobo that the students el-Rufai will get from these universities can be counted on the fingers of one hand.
“For I’ve not seen a society where university teachers compete – actively – to deny their students first class degrees such as northern Nigeria. When they see that a student is likely to graduate with first class, they find a subject from which to deduct marks. ‘No one has ever graduated with first class from this department,’ a lecturer boasts. Isn’t that an indictment of the lecturer that he’s not good enough to produce a first class student?”
On this, Dr. Salihu Lukman, himself a university teacher based in Saudi Arabia, disagreed:
“Number of first class degrees awarded by ABU has increased significantly over the past decade. Currently, it is not news to find a department in Ahmadu Bello University producing more than one first class in a given session. For instance, I know for a fact that Faculty of Engineering alone has produced not less than four to five first class graduates in October 2015; two of them from Water Resources & Environmental Engineering.”
Dr. Salihu Lukman
Bala Liti begs to differ from Dr. Lukman: “But it’s limited to engineering [Dr. Lukman]. If you check other faculties no matter how good you are, they will reduce you to 2:1 or even 2:2. Sir, you may want to check social sciences, arts, etc. The wickedness of the lecturers towards students is unbearable and shocking. In History department for instance, you will have a whole year with no one graduating with even a weak 2:1, whereas those who are less academically sound will graduate above you with an intimidating and impressive performances.”
Bala Liti Gwarzo
Many others also agree that the situation in the universities in the north is as I described it.
“A statement of fact my oga. My last year as an undergraduate actually determined my final result. And it took me four years to complete a master’s degree. For the PhD? Only Allah knows when.”
Musa Suleiman
“My brother, I agree with all you have penciled down. My case sounds funny. My lecturer only told me that he wished I had graduated with first class after I collected my certificate. During my undergraduate days, he never mentioned that to me. So funny northern lecturers.”
Shehu Ahmad
“Thumps up for this nice piece.”
Usman Aliyu
“Succinct.”
Dr. Mohammed Paiko
“Dear Prof Brainy, I agree with you on this as I was a victim since way back in 1980. I was best student part 1, 2 and 3 in my department at ABU. I was denied first class by less than a point. And a lecturer did actually call me to inform me that if I had taken a certain course as an elective rather than a certain one, I would have been awarded the first class degree.
I said, well, I still believe I am the first class material, I won’t be discouraged.
May your article ginger positive action in our northern lecturers and universities to stop victimising students. Thanks.”
Anonymous