SOUTH AFRICA

Sex-for-marks lecturers could be ‘named and shamed’

Lecherous lecturers who demand sex in return for good marks could be named and shamed if students attending a Durban conference get their way, writes Barbara Cole for the Daily News.

The problem of ‘sex for marks’ was identified as a big issue at one of the sessions at the HEAids National Youth Conference held at the Durban International Convention Centre, Anne Githuku-Shongwe, the UN representative, told the closing session. She recalled that 321 students had gathered for one of the sessions of the Higher Education and Training HIV/Aids Programme, where they had identified specific problems – and they had come up with 31 solutions. Power relations at campuses proved to be a “very big issue”, particularly the role of lecturers and sex for marks, she said.

After brainstorming, the students came up with an “interesting concept” – to identify the offending lecturers on an application “grey list” so that their names would be known. It would have to be subject to a verification system, Githuku-Shongwe said, adding that the idea “is something we will continue to work with”.
Full report on IOL site