Denying lecturers sex with students violates their rights

Makerere University has had its fair share of troubles surrounding ‘sex for marks’ affairs

There is a raging debate in Uganda’s academic circles as well as the general public that has cast lecturers and students in public universities as evil and misfits in society for the Godly act of having sex with each other.

Stories of this kind have been twisted, in most cases to suggest that such affairs are transactional in nature with the view that the lecturer gives undeserved marks to the students in exchange for sex.

As such, people suspected to be engaged in such relationships have suffered undue scandal labels in tabloid pages, not to mention the fact that lecturers who’ve been caught in the act, have been suspended or lost their jobs rather unfairly.

Following the numerous sex ‘scandals’ in which university lecturers have been involved with students, I wish to categorically state that vilifying such people infringes on the rights of both parties; the students and the lecturers to have intimate relationships.

First, most University students are above the 18 years mark which the constitution prescribes as the age of consent. This means that the alleged girls are mature and have the right to make personal decisions including falling for whoever they feel like including the President, Members of Parliament (MPs), lecturers, doctors, etc.

Lecturers on the other hand have all the right of feasting on whoever they feel like including adult students, fellow professors, etc.

I am not aware of any law forbidding lecturers from having an affair with another adult, be they students or fellow lecturers, as long as the two parties deem it fit.

The bottom line should be consent with no strings attached. Who says that adult students can not and should not have feelings for lecturers and vice versa.

It does not make any sense for anybody to make noise over sex engagements between two consenting adults who choose to have pleasure. It violates people’s privacy and it should be preached against.

Where’s the problem?

It’s my considered view that the problem starts with the young girls who have made no secret of the fact that they need quick money. These girls choose to lure the innocent professors into sex by calling them at times and telling them how sweet they appear in lecture rooms.

Really, how do you expect the lecturers to respond towards these provocative adult Ugandans? Yes, university students are adults whose decisions are governed by their consent.

Forget this idealistic stuff that lecturers must act as parents. This is ideal. How do you pretend to be a parent of a person who continuously parrots how sexy and ‘juicy’ you are?

Seen from another perspective, parents too share in the blame for their children’s moral turpitude. Parents bear the primary responsibility of raising children. And so, when they show up half naked or in lecture rooms, vibe lecturers and promise them ‘Thighland’ in exchange for free marks, it is the parent who must take the blame in the first place.

I don’t want to exonerate lecturers because the act violates their ethical conduct. All I am saying is that blaming them at the expense of your children provocations is unfair.

There is this cheap talk of lecturers demanding for sex themselves for marks,. Honestly, I find it odd. Why can’t this girl reject and report immediately to the authorities for help? Why wait, eat someone’s money, get free marks and then come to the public and shout fire in a crowded theater.

I know that some will cast insults and attack me over this, but I stand by the bitter facts.

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