MTHE Holds Workshop on Service Charter Development for Technical and Higher Education Institutions

31st May, 2024

The Ministry of Technical and Higher Education (MTHE) has taken a significant step towards improving the education sector in Sierra Leone by organizing a workshop on the development of a service charter for technical and higher education institutions in the country. 

The workshop, which was held at Family Kingdom in Freetown, was facilitated by MTHE's Director of Research, Planning and Development, Sia Fasuluku.

The initiative serves as a tool for outlining the commitments and expectations of technical and higher education institutions for effectiveness in educational service delivery.
MTHE's Director of Human Resource, Rebecca Saffa, set the tone for the workshop by welcoming all participants, declaring that the purpose of the service charter is to provide a clear understanding of the services offered by technical and higher education institutions, as well as the standards and timelines for delivering those services.

In formerly declaring the workshop open, MTHE's Minister, Dr. Haja Ramatulai Wurie, highlighted the importance of a service charter in achieving the Ministry's vision of creating an inclusive, innovative, and sustainable education system. She emphasized that a service charter is more than just a document, as it represents the commitment of institutions to providing quality education, accountability, and transparency.

She highlighted six key areas that the service charters will focus on: "quality education," "accessibility and inclusivity," "students' support services," "accountability and transparency," "collaborations and partnerships," and "continuous improvement." These, she mentioned, are critical areas that, if addressed effectively, can lead to the overall improvement of the education system in the country.

The Minister also expressed her gratitude to the World Bank for their support in making this initiative possible. She emphasized the need for close collaboration with the World Bank to ensure the effective implementation of service charters in all institutions, adding that such partnership will play a crucial role in achieving the desired results and bringing positive change to the education sector in Sierra Leone.

During the workshop, a draft service charter was presented through a detailed PowerPoint presentation by MTHE's Deputy Secretary, Teslim Othman, as a guide for the various higher education institutions when preparing theirs. The presentation highlighted the key elements of the service charter, including the processes and procedures for requesting services, and the measures for monitoring and evaluating service delivery. The draft service charter was met with positive feedback from participants, who found it to be a comprehensive and necessary step towards improving the education sector in Sierra Leone.

MTHE's Director of Higher Education, Emmanuel J. Momoh ESQ., spoke about three key principles in developing a service Charter, vis-a-vis "identification of an organization and its customers,"  "Communication," and "Customer service standards and customer rights and responsibilities." He encouraged participants to be very mindful of their mandate, as the service charter will be used by the public and customers to hold them accountable should they fail to deliver. 

The workshop also included a plenary group session, facilitated by MTHE's Director of Science Education, Fatmata Kaiwa, where participants were divided into groups to discuss and provide their input on the draft service charter.  

After the group session, each group presented their findings and recommendations, allowing for a productive exchange of ideas, with each group providing valuable insights and suggestions.