GoSL Installs Four Chancellors to Man the Affairs of Public Universities
30th November, 2021
The Government of Sierra Leone has installed four Chancellors (Dr. James Sampha Koroma, Chancellor of the University of Sierra Leone; Prof. Moses Sahr Gevao, Chancellor of Njala University; Mr. David Carew, Chancellor of Ernest Bai Koroma University of Science and Technology; and Hon. Justice Nyawo Matturi-Jones, Chancellor of Kono University of Science and Technology) to run the administration of their respective public universities.
The event which took place at State House was the concluding phase of the installation of Chancellors which had already started with the two newly established technical universities (Eastern Technical University and Milton Margai Technical University) during their inauguration ceremonies on 23rd October and 11th November, 2021 respectively. With this new development, H.E. the President ceases to be a Chancellor of all public universities, and becomes "Visitor."
In his keynote address, the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, H.E. Rtd. Brig. Dr. Julius Maada Bio, mentioned his delivery on a manifesto promise he had made in 2018 to relinquish his role as Chancellor of public universities. "As per the Universities Act 2021, I will no longer be the Chancellor of any of the public universities. I remain a Visitor to these universities," he said. He noted that his decision to depoliticize public university governance in the country was an intentional move to enhance autonomy in their operations. According to President Bio, politicization of university governance in the past allowed public universities to rely on whatever subsidies Government could allocate to them, which normally led to frequent students' strikes, as students' ration and services were reduced to bare minimum, and university hostels, faculty housing, libraries and lecture halls fell into rapid disrepair.
The Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Prof. Alpha Tejan Wurie, applauded President Bio for giving tertiary and technical/vocational education the much needed importance, noting that it is indeed seldom for a President to allow universities to get full-fledged academic freedom. He urged the Chancellors to take into cognizance their role as the exclusive Administrative Heads of their respective institutions, entreating them to enhance administrative excellence during the course of their work.
The Deputy Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Mr. Sarjoh Aziz-Kamara, commended President Bio for ensuring the enactment of the Universities Act of 2021, and for demonstrating that education is the foundation for sustainable national development. "As you steer the ship of state, we just want to thank you and may God bless you as you become Visitor to all public universities..." he wished.
According to the Chairman of Tertiary Education Commission (TEC), Prof. Aliyagreen Alghali, TEC, being the primary accreditation institution and regulatory agency for universities in Sierra Leone, stands ready to assist in the establishment and growth of all public universities. He assured members present that TEC will continue to advise on the programmes to be offered in public universities and ensure their quality, with facilities to ensure adequate teaching, learning, research and community outreach in line best practice to maintain parity of esteem with similar institutions and their products. He congratulated the appointed authorities and wished them well, imploring them to be equal to the task of superintending the universities on a firm footing to the envy of all.
Speaking on behalf of all newly appointed Chancellors, Hon. Justice Nyawo Matturi-Jones, Chancellor of Kono University of Science and Technology, expressed sincere gratitude to President Bio for bestowing trust in them, which clearly underscores his determination to provide Sierra Leonean children with good education. "Your Excellency, we applaud you for relinquishing your role and powers as Chancellor and instead bestowing on our humble selves the vision that you have in making quality tertiary, vocational, commercial and scientific education available in all parts of the country," she commended the President. She expressed their unanimous commitment as Chancellors to making President Bio's dream and vision for Sierra Leone a reality.