The management of Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, has suspended a lecturer captured in a viral video meting out corporal punishment on exam candidates of the Interim Joint Matriculation Board (IJMB) programme within the institution’s premises.
The video, which surfaced on social media on Monday, showed the lecturer caning several candidates who were kneeling with their hands raised while taking turns to receive strokes of the cane on their palms.
The incident sparked widespread condemnation online, with many Nigerians questioning the use of corporal punishment in tertiary institutions and calling for disciplinary action against the lecturer.
President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Akinteye Babatunde, described the incident as unacceptable, insisting that students should not be subjected to physical punishment.
“A lecturer in Kwara State Polytechnic asked IJMB students to kneel down and he beat them up with a cane. Such act is condemnable. Students are not animals and should never be treated as such. There are different ways to punish erring students, not beating them up.
“As much as students must never assault lecturers or act rudely to them, lecturers don’t also have the right to assault students. I hereby call on the Kwara State Polytechnic management to investigate this issue and sanctions should be made where necessary,” Babatunde said.
Reacting to the development, the institution, in a statement issued on Monday by its Public Relations Officer, Halimat Garba, clarified that those seen in the video were not students of the polytechnic but candidates of the IJMB programme.
“The attention of Kwara State Polytechnic Management has been drawn to a viral video circulating on social media in which a lecturer is seen physically reprimanding students.
“The Management wishes to clarify that the students depicted in the video are not Polytechnic students but rather IJMB (Interim Joint Matriculation Board) candidates who arrived late for their ongoing examinations,” the statement read.
While noting that the reason behind the lecturer’s action had yet to be established, the institution condemned the method adopted, describing it as inappropriate and inconsistent with its values.
“While the intention for which the action was done is not yet known, we must emphasize that the approach taken was wholly inappropriate, as the Polytechnic stands firmly against any form of violence or physical punishment as a means of discipline,” the statement said.
The institution reiterated its commitment to promoting a culture of respect, understanding and constructive engagement within the learning environment.
“We believe that education should be rooted in respect, understanding, and constructive guidance, and that there are far more effective and humane ways to instill important values in students,” it added.
Announcing the disciplinary action taken, the management disclosed that the lecturer had been relieved of his duties pending the outcome of an investigation into the incident.
“The Polytechnic Management therefore suspends the concerned lecturer from his duties pending the outcome of the findings on this matter.
“We appreciate the concerns raised by stakeholders regarding this incident and assure the public that the matter is being taken very seriously.
“In light of this incident, the Management wishes to express its sincere confidence to the public in the integrity and values for which Kwarapoly is known. We are determining the necessary steps to prevent a recurrence of such incidents in the future,” the statement added.
The institution assured members of the public that a thorough investigation was underway and pledged to take appropriate measures to ensure similar incidents do not occur again.
