IMT Enugu to Sanction 28 Students Over ‘Sorting’ Scandal — Rector

At least 28 students of the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu, are facing disciplinary action for allegedly engaging in “sorting” — a practice involving bribing lecturers to manipulate academic scores.

IMT Rector, Professor Gozie Ogbodo, disclosed this during a courtesy visit by Dr. Ben Nwoye of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), Institute for Peace, Conflict and Development Studies (IPCDS), who led PhD students on an internship tour of IMT.

Professor Ogbodo applauded IPCDS for nurturing students as future ambassadors of peace and expressed readiness to collaborate on promoting peace initiatives in Enugu and beyond. He emphasized the need to adopt modern conflict resolution methods in line with technological advancements, noting that unresolved conflicts have caused significant damage globally, including in Nigeria.

Speaking on reforms at IMT, the Rector revealed that most academic programmes were outdated upon his assumption of office. “Over 70% of our programmes were expired and overdue for accreditation. I had to declare a state of emergency,” he said.

With the support of Enugu State Governor Dr. Peter Mbah, all programmes underwent full accreditation by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) in April. “This is the first time in IMT’s history that we secured full accreditation for all programmes,” he noted.

Highlighting his administration’s academic policies, Ogbodo announced stricter measures to improve education quality, including mandatory 70% lecture attendance for exam eligibility and monitoring teams to ensure compliance by both students and lecturers.

Additionally, he enforced the use of departmental uniforms for students entering the campus and implemented a zero-tolerance policy on “sorting.”

“The era of sorting is over,” Ogbodo declared. “Both the student offering and the lecturer accepting will be punished. We currently have 28 active cases under investigation.”

Earlier, Dr. Nwoye, accompanied by IPCDS Academic Coordinator Dr. Chiedozie Nwafor, emphasized the importance of peace in societal development. He said the visit was part of practical exposure for PhD students under the leadership of Professor Felix Asogwa, aligning with the institute’s mission to foster real-world engagement.

Nwoye, a former Enugu State APC Chairman, described the visit as an opportunity to explore developmental challenges and opportunities for both the state and the nation.