The Vice President of the Republic of Sierra Leone Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh has encouraged students and Academic Staff of Njala University to engage in dialogue with the administration or government in expressing their concerns rather than embarking on industrial strike or campus unrest.
Vice President Jalloh made the remarks while addressing students’ representatives, academic staff and administration of Njala University on Friday November 13, 2020 at Torwama Campus, Bo City.
He registered government’s commitment to address the concerns raised by students and Academic Staff of the University.
The Vice President was at Njala University to answer to the call of the Academic Staff Association on President Bio through a letter, sorting series of issues they wanted to discuss with him in relations to the administration.
The four main concerns raised by both students and academic staff according to Vice President Jalloh include governance issue which led to the appointment of certain administrators to the university; welfares of Academic staff and students; improved learning and teaching environment and the liabilities of the college.
The Vice President maintained that the concerns highlighted by students and academic staff of Njala University will be addressed in two folds, which include short and long term measures, noting that there are certain pressing issues which need immediate government interventions to salvage the situation. He reiterated on the development of a road map that will put Njala on a progressive development like other universities.
Dr. Jalloh informed the audience about plan by the President to set up Education Development Funds which will help to provide the infrastructural facilities needed in universities and colleges. “We will develop an Educational Trust Fund that will effectively handle the infrastructural needs of HE’s in the country rather than relying on the classical budget,” Vice President Jalloh opined.
The Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Njala University, Professor Alimamy Osman Sankoh (Mallam O.) welcomed the Vice President to Njala University on behalf of the University and the traditional leaders. He explained the contributions of the University to the President Bio’s Human Capital Development and the Medium Term Development agenda. He expressed the earnest appreciation of his administration and students for the support received from the Government of Sierra Leone to boost the fire disaster response on both campuses on behalf of the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education.
Professor Sankoh appealed to the Vice President and the Government for series of issues confronting the University, including the lack of sustainable energy and water supply, liabilities of staff retirees, deplorable roads, inadequate and delayed subvention, amongst several others.
The Honourable Vice President inspected the old water treatment and supplies facility, the electricity powerhouse, and the burnt building at Mokende Campus, and the Mokende community. He also visited the Kowoma campus in Bo City which host the School of Community Health Sciences and inspected teaching and learning facilities. He concluded his visit on the Towama campus also in Bo City where he addressed the Academic and Administrative Staff of the University.
By: Aaron Bundu Lahai-Head of Media & Public Relations
18/11/2020. ISSUE NO: 7953