Language Agenda: Academic Thievery

The Writer

Student: Sir, You gave me "F".
Lecturer: You didn't do your Continuous Assessment.

Student: I did everything, Sir.
Lecturer: Then you didn't buy my HANDOUT.
Student: Sir, na true but I get the HANDOUT wai I read am all.

Lecturer: Aahaa! Yes! When I checked the money, I realized that some of you took the HANDOUT, but you didn't pay.

Student: No ooo Sir!
Lecturer: Shut up! You are one of the "stealers!"

Class: Hahahahha! Hehehehehhe! Kikikikikiki!
Another student: Eiiii! Brofo! "Stealers" paa! Hahhahah!

Student: I no steal your own ooo. I go Google in there get am.

Lecturer: Too know Boy! Is it NOT the same thing?
Student: So Sir, your own too be Google in filla?
Lecturer: Hayyyyyy! Don't be silly!
Student: Sir, I am sorry. But this one di3 thieve man thieve thieve man. God de laugh.

Class: Hahahahahah! Heehehwhhehehee! Kikikikiiiikkii!!!!!

Lecturer: Out! Go out of this class!
The above scenario is a showcase of Academic Thievery in most Ghanaian institutions of Higher Learning. In the name of HANDOUT to enhance students' comprehension, some lecturers lift contents from Google - without any proper analysis and citation - and impose them on students for exorbitant fees.

Any student who fails to purchase the stolen material is bound to get an undesirable grade. The negative trend is counter-productive to critical thinking and logical reasoning, which are prime objectives of tertiary education.

Academic Thievery! Nawaa ooo!
Abubakar Mohammed Marzuq Azindoo,
Lecturer, University of Applied Management, Germany - Ghana Campus, McCarthy Hill, Accra.