With the reality of exorbitant fees and day-to-day expenses, college students are said to be indulging in prostitution as a means of putting themselves through school.

Information reaching THE WEEKEND STAR is that students from one particular teachers' college in the Corporate Area have been selling sex for as low as $250.

According to Melissa Davis* a student, the alleged situation has become a hot topic at the institution. She claims that in recent times, students have become preys to men who want to buy sex.

"Yes, as a God, prostitution in higher institutions ... Most times I meet a guy I don't quick fi tell dem mi go college because yuh have some who think we are all whores," she said. "There are students selling sex for as low as $250. I can remember an incident last semester where a female student wanted money and she told her roommate that a guy promised her money fi sex, and she had sex with him and di man only give her $250 and she took it."

According to the second-year student, persons are oftentimes surprised when she tells them that male students are supposedly involved in the practice as well.

"There was a male student at school who always a tell wi dat university boys a gay and men use them by tempting them with money, but I always wonder why it hurt him so until rumour spread like wildfire say him a gay, and him only talk to man who can maintain him in school," she recalled.

At the same time, Kimar Henry* a third-year student at the institution also confirmed that she too was aware of the situation.

high-end vehicles

"There is a specific case that I know about a guy, I know every day different cars come pick him up and I mean high-end vehicles and is only men. He told us that the reason why him really do it is to get by in school. There are probably like four different men that I know about personally," she said.

The students say the practice has become widespread and even teachers are aware of it.

"At times, when you have certain courses lecturers will bring it up. One lecturer told us that the standards have fallen because students have like four or five men to help them get by. She also brought up the fact that the students are also dating bus drivers and conductors to help them in school," Henry noted.

Despite the allegations THE WEEKEND STAR was unable to get a comment from the school as calls to the principal's office went unanswered.

When contacted, however, a representative from the Ministry of Education told THE WEEKEND STAR that the ministry would be unable to take any form of action unless the acts were being committed on school premises.

"These persons are adults, we are not condoning the acts but only if they were on school premises we would have to intervene," the representative said.

*Names changed