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Anti-Cultism: Ibadan Poly to Conduct Psychological Test for Freshers

Vanguard (Lagos)
NEWS
April 28, 2005
Posted to the web May 2, 2005

By Sina Babasola

As part of measures to curb cultism at the Polytechnic Ibadan, the Oyo State
governor, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, yesterday, said students seeking admission
into the institution would henceforth undergo psychological test.
The governor also said that a copy of the government's edict on cultism would
be made available to the students, adding that each of the students will sign
for the receipt of the edict so that they will not claim ignorance of the it.
According to him, the state government is also considering the possibility of
reducing the student intake into the school as way of solving the cultism
menace in the school.
Senator Ladoja gave these hints at the Executive Council Chambers of the
Governor's Office, Ibadan, yesterday while receiving the report of the
committee set up by the government to curb cult-related activities at The
Polytechnic, Ibadan.
Governor Ladoja, who identified overcrowding as one of the factors responsible
for the growth of cultism, also declared that no new student would henceforth
be admitted into any higher institution without going through the rigours of
oral interviews.
The governor said that such interviews, which would now become mandatory, would
be administered by psychologists independent of the school authorities,
stressing, "from now onwards, any student who will go to The Polytechnic,
Ibadan will be subjected to a thorough interview to be conducted by a
psychologist apart from passing the JAMB"
"If we are able to do that, the issue of anti-social behaviour will be curbed
and students would get out of schools as better behaved human beings."
He added: "It is our responsibility to protect the society from the scourge of
cultism and ensure that students come out of schools better behaved. If a child
is not worthy in character, no matter how brilliant, he can no longer be
admitted into our degrees or diplomas."
Governor Ladoja, who frowned at the idea of permanent students, also declared
that Oyo State schools would no longer take more than they can cope with,
adding, "The government will do everything within our power to make sure that
there is security in all our tertiary institutions, especially The Polytechnic,
Ibadan".
Ladoja wondered why some higher institutions are in the habit of running
courses on part-time basis rather than on full-time basis.
While commending the efforts of the Adebayo Alao-led committee, the governor
pledged the readiness of the state government to implement all the
recommendations contained in the report without caring whose ox is gored.
Earlier, the panel chairman, who is also the deputy governor of the state,
Otunba Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala, noted that cultism is in top gear at The
Polytechnic, Ibadan, adding that the panel identified eight different cult
groups of both sexes in the school.
According to him, it is in realization of this that the panel had come out with
31 recommendations to enable the institutions sing a new song.

   

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