FEATURE: Sex for Grades, Cash for Pass: The Silent Epidemic Tainting Our Polytechnic Halls

 By Victor Olubiye

In the quiet corridors of our polytechnic classrooms, a dangerous game unfolds—one not found in any curriculum or course outline. It's whispered in the hostels, sighed in frustration during late-night group discussions, and hidden beneath layers of fear and shame. It is the ugly, persistent practice of sex for grades and money for marks—a cancer slowly eating away at the integrity of our academic institutions.

As a campus journalist, I've come across more than enough unsettling reports—some anonymous, some from brave voices—highlighting how some lecturers prey on students for personal gain. What used to be isolated stories shared in hushed tones among students have now become a pattern, a disturbing culture that thrives in silence and impunity.

For many female students, academic interactions with certain lecturers have become a traumatic power play. A lecturer, rather than evaluating knowledge, positions himself as a predator, turning grades into a bargaining chip for sexual favors. Phrases like "You know what to do if you want to pass" are no longer just suggestive—they’re commands, backed by the threat of failure.

Some students have shared how they were failed repeatedly or subtly threatened until they either succumbed or found an “alternative” route—sometimes involving higher authorities or complete course withdrawal. The psychological trauma? Lifelong. The educational damage? Immeasurable.

The abuse isn't gender-exclusive. Male students, too, face their own form of exploitation. From unjust failures to outright extortion, some lecturers have turned continuous assessment and project supervision into extortion traps. A student, after receiving a string of unjust scores, is invited for a “private discussion” that ends with a financial demand masked as “appreciation.”

Worse still, these unethical practices flourish in environments where students are too scared to speak out—fearing victimization, retaliation, or the hopelessness of a system that seems rigged against them.

The intimate relationship between lecturers and students is more than unethical—it undermines the very foundation of learning. It creates a culture where merit is tossed aside, mediocrity is rewarded, and hard work is discouraged. It teaches students that manipulation triumphs over mastery and that passing can be bought or seduced rather than earned.

Such acts also diminish the credibility of certificates issued by our institutions. When grades are no longer a true reflection of knowledge, our graduates step into the workforce unprepared, and our collective future is at risk.

It’s high time we tackled this academic rot head-on. School authorities must strengthen anti-harassment and ethics policies, ensuring they are not just documents on dusty shelves, but enforceable codes backed by real disciplinary action. Students must be educated on their rights, and anonymous reporting platforms should be made easily accessible and trustworthy.

Lecturers are meant to be mentors, not monsters. The classroom should be a space for empowerment, not exploitation. As students, journalists, and future leaders, we must begin to hold the system accountable. Because until we do, the grades some students carry will continue to come at the price of dignity and justice.

If you or someone you know has experienced academic harassment or exploitation, speak up. Report it to the appropriate channels. Your silence sustains the system.