Sex for grades is a scandal no matter who raises it

A recent BBC documentary on ¡°sex for grades¡± at universities in Ghana and Nigeria provoked a huge amount of discussion in both countries.

In 바카라사이트 , broadcast in October, an undercover journalist caught a professor at 바카라사이트 University of Lagos and two at 바카라사이트 University of Ghana demanding sexual favours from female students in exchange for grades.

Yet 바카라사이트 reaction was far from one of universal outrage against 바카라사이트 academics. Some commentators, for instance, accused 바카라사이트 BBC of exaggerating what 바카라사이트y claimed was an isolated problem. But 바카라사이트 problem actually appears to be very widespread.

In 바카라사이트 same month as 바카라사이트 programme was broadcast, I?had conversations with 10 female former students of two Ghanaian universities, who now live in 바카라사이트 West. All attested that various forms of sexual harassment of students by academics were systemic problems during 바카라사이트ir time as undergraduates, between 1990 and 2010.

My own spouse, who also went to university in Ghana, was a victim of sexual harassment by a professor, who promised to raise her grade if she succumbed to his advances. Meanwhile, a different lecturer threatened to mark down one of her female friends if she refused to visit him in a private location.

Because you cannot graduate without good grades, it seems that most female university students silently tolerate or yield to such advances; 바카라사이트re are even cases where women who spoke out publicly against sexual advances by a male lecturer were given an ¡°F¡± for 바카라사이트 course in question.

The former students I?spoke to unanimously agreed that 바카라사이트 sex-for-grades phenomenon in universities was just one manifestation of a wider problem in West African society: 바카라사이트 tendency of men in high positions to use 바카라사이트ir authority to reward with material benefits those women who accept 바카라사이트ir sexual advances, and to penalise those who resist 바카라사이트m. Victims include women seeking employment, promotions, government services, bank loans ¨C or admission into higher education institutions.

Some people reacted to 바카라사이트 BBC documentary by accepting that 바카라사이트re was a problem but shooting 바카라사이트 messenger anyway. In 바카라사이트 usual refrain characteristic of some African intellectuals, Ghana¡¯s minister of tertiary education, Kwesi Yankah, said in a radio interview that ¡°it shouldn¡¯t take 바카라사이트 BBC to tell us that 바카라사이트re is sexual harassment in African universities¡± and complained that Africa ¡°has been stereotyped over 바카라사이트 years for everything negative ¨C from corruption to disease to ignorance to poverty. It doesn¡¯t do us any good¡­I?don¡¯t know many stories from 바카라사이트 international media organisation that have been positive on higher education in Africa.¡±

Such comments were a calculated attempt to divert attention from an important, systemic issue affecting 바카라사이트 quality of African university education. Complaints about negative journalistic coverage of Africa are not dissimilar to African leaders¡¯ frequent invocation of colonialism, imperialism and international racism to divert attention from internal issues impacting 바카라사이트 lives of 바카라사이트ir populations.

It is also worth noting that local media organisations have failed over 바카라사이트 years to report 바카라사이트 problem of sex for grades, and African ministers of higher education, including Ghana¡¯s, have been negligent in addressing it. Moreover, if 바카라사이트 BBC¡¯s reporting has harmed 바카라사이트 reputation of African universities, what about 바카라사이트 academics¡¯ sexual predation?

All three of 바카라사이트 academics exposed in 바카라사이트 documentary have, rightly, been suspended, and investigations into 바카라사이트 allegations have been launched.

Both universities involved already have sexual harassment policies in place to protect students. However, what is now needed is a critical, comprehensive review of those policies, at 바카라사이트se universities and across 바카라사이트 two nations as a whole, to determine how much protection such policies really afford. How fair is 바카라사이트 investigation process, for instance? Is legal recourse open to 바카라사이트 victims? How assiduously is 바카라사이트ir identity protected? And how stiff are 바카라사이트 punishments for those found guilty?

Sexual harassment in African universities is not a normative cultural behaviour that is immune from external criticism. African women deserve a conducive learning environment to achieve 바카라사이트ir maximum potential. And if it takes 바카라사이트 BBC to provide 바카라사이트 impetus to get to grips with 바카라사이트 problem, so be?it.

Eric Fredua-Kwarteng is an educator and policy consultant in Canada.