By Fatmata Grace Okekearu (Bo City)
In a surprising turn of events, disgruntled graduands from Njala University took to the streets on Thursday, February 22, 2024, just hours before the scheduled Undergraduate and Postgraduate Congregation Ceremonies set to take place on February 23rd and Saturday 24th at the Forecourt of the Campus Administrative Building (Monkodey). The protest stemmed from the administration’s alleged failure to distribute graduation gowns, despite students reportedly paying NLe 1,000 each, inclusive of a convocation fee and a registration fee of NLe 20.
Expressing their frustration, some students claimed that the administration had assured them of gown distribution by the previous day, but it did not materialize on the official commencement dates. Moreover, they accused administrative staff of favoritism in distributing the limited gowns available.
To diffuse the protest, senior SLP personnel assured students that the University’s Administration had committed to making the gowns available by 2:00 pm on the same day. However, the disgruntled students vowed to escalate their actions if the gowns were not distributed as promised.
Despite attempts to seek clarification from the University’s Public Relations Officer, Ayuba Koroma, the administration remained tight-lipped on the matter. As the tension looms, the theme of this year’s Congregation Ceremonies, “Njala University at 60: the Achievements, Challenges, and Problem-solving Attempts,” takes a backseat to the immediate concerns of the protesting graduands.
Operating across three campuses and twelve Distance Learning Centres, Njala University faces a challenging moment as it grapples with the grievances of its students just days before the landmark graduation ceremonies.
