THE Enugu State government in collaboration with Gender Mobile Initiative and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission has declared a zero tolerance to sex for grade in institutions of learning in the state.
Speaking at a one-day meeting of knowledge management stakeholders organized by the Ministry of Education to discuss the adoption of the National Anti-sexual Harassment Policy in Tertiary Institutions in the state, Professor Chidiebere Onyia, Secretary to the State Government warned such sexual offenders to desist or face severe consequences.
The SSG further reveals that the Anti-Sexual Harassment policy covers not just Tertiary Institutions but even Secondary schools.
“We are prepared to hold individuals accountable in this state. Academics found guilty of harassing students or soliciting sexual favors for grades will be swiftly prosecuted. I assure you that, once the information is processed, those individuals will face immediate legal action.”
Prof. Onyia further revealed that several sting operations have already been conducted at various institutions;
“This policy will also extend to secondary schools, and we will engage closely with female students. Our sting operations will capture offenders regardless of their age.”
In his remarks, the Enugu State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ndubueze Mbah, said the Anti-Sexual Harassment policy document results from extensive collaborative research, assessment, peer review, and feedback.
“This initiative is part of our commitment to creating safe campuses. We aim to foster an inclusive and respectable academic environment where students and professionals can learn without fear of threats or harassment,” Prof. Mbah said.
Reiterating that the Policy encompasses all educational levels—basic schools, senior secondary, and tertiary institutions, the Commissioner reveals implementation will begin with tertiary education and then expand to the basic education system.
In his contributions, Dr. Ernest Ogezi, the Learning Measurement and Evaluation Manager at the Gender Mobile Initiative explained how the policy will be rolled out to institutions; “Enugu is setting the standard by developing a state-level anti-sexual harassment policy, which is commendable.”
“We will collaborate with every school to understand their unique context and integrate it into their anti-sexual harassment policy, as no two institutions share the same circumstances.”
“We begin by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the institution. Through this MoU, we will launch the Campus Safety Initiative (CSI), which is built on four pillars. Then we establish a Technical Working Group (TWG) that will be trained by the ICPC. The state has already introduced us to various institutions, including private ones,” Dr. Ogezi said.
“We will also appoint campus ambassadors and conduct town hall meetings with students and faculty.”
Dr. Ogezi further explained that the Model Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy, adopted by the Federal Ministry of Education, was developed by the ICPC in collaboration with the Gender Mobile Initiative.
The policy aims to promote gender equality by addressing and eradicating sexual and gender-based violence and tackling intersectional gender inequality within society through a lens of prevention.
In an interview with journalists, Kennedy Ebuhotemen, the Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner for ICPC in Enugu and Ebonyi states, emphasized that the commission is taking decisive action to combat the alarming trend of sexual harassment, insisting there will be no sacred cows.
“We will partner with the Enugu State government to cleanse our educational institutions of sexual harassment, raise awareness, and develop comprehensive policies to guide victims on how to respond when faced with harassment.”
“The ICPC will not tolerate anyone who misuses their position to gain undue advantages or facilitate activities that harm society. We are committed to prosecuting offenders within the bounds of the law,” Ebuhotemen assures.
