» Confusion As Dead Students "Write" Exams In Oko Poly «

There is confusion at the Federal
Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State,
following a startling revelation that
certain dead students of the institution
were graded and awarded marks in
recent semester examinations.
A rights group, International Society
for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law
openedthecan of worms in a petition
to the school authorities recently
The petition entitled: “Complaints
Against Wrongful Allocation of Results
to Deceased Students’: A call for
Investigation and Redress, alleged
that “one of the deceased students
awarded marks in exams he never
participated was Late Ezeh Uchenna
with registration number FPO/SLT/ND/
R1/012/038.
The petition was signed by the
Chairman of the group’s Board of
Trustees, Mr. Emeka Umeagbalasi.
According to the group, “The said
Uchenna was given upper credit (3.05)
and awarded 67 in Cell Biology, 81 in
Organic Chemistry, 60 in Physical
Chemistry, 49 in Electricity and
Magnetism, 44 in Optics and Waves,
66 in Analytical Chemistry, 70 in
General Lab Techniques, 69 in
Computer Packages and so on.
It also alleged that some students
who had long left the polytechnic
were captured in the last semester
examination records of the school,
InterSociety said the purpose of its
petition was to ensure that the right
things were done, noting that some
students who complained about the
irregularities and recklessness were
being victimised by the school
authorities.
“Just two days ago, they were called
and invited by the school security
authorities to come and defend the
letter InterSociety wrote to the
school and defend their involvement
over same.
“The students also informed
InterSociety that their names have
been forwarded to the School’s Anti-
Cult Brigade to be treated as common
criminals and cultists.
“As a matter of fact, they have gone
into hiding; operating amorphously to
avoid being physically assaulted and
held captive. Their state of mind is
also psychologically battered leading
to mental torture,”InterSociety said.
InterSociety said, “We regard these
approaches as very uncalled for,
reprehensible, despicable and
condemnable.
“The school must not be an outlaw
and dangle with the provisions of the
Constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria 1999 particularly its Section 35
(personal liberty), 36 (fair hearing) and
39 (freedom of expression).
“Your school must also understand
that the engine room of the corporate
social responsibilities, which it is a
party to; is founded on human rights.
Students who complain of certain
anomalies through duly constituted
processes are not only sticklers of
due process, but also entitled to fair
hearing and free speech or
expression.
“It saddens our heart that till date no
reasonable investigation over the
students’ complaints has been
commenced and concluded by the
school authorities.
It further submitted that “As for the
referenced Head of Department, who
was newly elevated to the academic
rank of Deanship, we demand that she
should be called to order and
compelled to revisit the issue. As we
have earlier demanded, no student of
the referenced department should be
punished or maltreated over the issue.
It noted that“The students’ assertion
that the lecturers that handled the
referenced courses and exams should
be compelled to tender their raw
result score sheets for the purpose of
verification should be commended and
heeded.
In his reaction, the Rector of the
Polytechnic, Professor Godwin Onu,
said he had constituted a committee
to investigate the matter, adding it
was the work of bad people working
to paint the polytechnic black in the
eyes of the public.