In a move aimed at tackling social vices in tertiary institutions, students of Lens Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State, have launched a week-long awareness campaign against indecency, sex-for-grades, cultism, cybercrime and examination malpractices.
The week-long awareness drive, spearheaded by students of the Strategic Communication and Media Studies Department, is being viewed as part of wider efforts within the education sector to confront behavioural challenges affecting academic integrity and students conduct across the country.
The initiative also focused on sensitisation against indecent dressing, cultism, cybercrime, drug abuse, examination malpractices and sex-for-grades practices, with participants engaging fellow students through lectures, discussions and advocacy messages across different academic levels.
According to the institution’s Public Relations Unit in a statement made available to Arewa PUNCH on Sunday, the campaign was conceived and executed by students under the supervision of their lecturer, Ayeni Adegbola, as a practical application of communication and advocacy skills aimed at driving behavioural change.
Speaking on the initiative, the Rector of the Polytechnic, Mulikat Aliyu, described the campaign as a timely intervention and a model for promoting discipline within academic environments.
She said, “This campaign against indecency is an excellent practical for an academic environment and beyond.
“We need to constantly encourage our students because they need counselling. Some students’ acts of indecency are mostly influenced by peer pressure.”
While stressing the need for continuous peer-to-peer guidance among students to discourage immoral conduct on campuses,
Mulikat pointed out, “Rather than expanding the scope of indecency, instead, counsel your fellow students to shun any form of indecency and be good ambassadors of our citadel of learning and the society at large.”
Meanwhile, the rector commended the students, lecturers and departments involved in the campaign, describing it as a positive example of how academic institutions can engage students in value reorientation.
“On behalf of the proprietor of the institution, Dr Yiza AbdulAzeez, the Governing Council, principal officers, staff of various departments and all students, we say a big thank you to the coordinator of practical, lecturers and the students in the Department of Strategic Communication and Media Studies for this impactful campaign,” she said.
The campaign, which featured sensitisation sessions across lecture levels throughout the week, culminated in the erection of a large anti-indecency billboard within the institution as part of efforts to sustain the message beyond the immediate exercise.
The Head of Department of Mass Communication, Adebayo Lukman, observed that the initiative demonstrated how classroom knowledge could be deployed to address real-life societal challenges affecting young people in Nigeria.
“It’s a good feeling that you all embarked on a week-long campaign against indecency from one lecture hall to another.
“My fellow lecturers and I walk this campaign with you because we believe it will positively impact you all in terms of unlearning all forms of indecency and relearning core values of being decent individuals, for the image of our institution and to also be responsible citizens in society,” he stated.
Thus, Lukman warned against examination malpractices, drug abuse and indecent dressing, describing them as habits that undermine academic success and national development.
“Examination malpractices, drug abuse, indecent dressing and others do not make any student better. I beseech you to study well and be of good conduct during your examinations, dress neatly and decently, do away with hard substances because they are damaging to health and be of good conduct wherever you find yourself,” he added.
Arewa PUNCH reports that the initiative reflects a growing trend of student-led advocacy campaigns that could serve as a model for addressing moral and behavioural challenges in tertiary institutions across Nigeria, as schools intensify efforts to restore discipline, integrity and social responsibility among undergraduates.
Credit: Punchng
