By Saidu Jalloh
The long-standing conflict between the University of Sierra Leone (USL) and the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education, which had led to a stall in the graduation process, seems to be seeing progress. In a recent government weekly press conference held at Foreign Affairs, Minister Bah of Information and Basic Education announced that graduation ceremonies scheduled for April will indeed commence.
Minister Bah stated that he had met with the Minister of Technical and Higher Education to address the issue regarding the legality and responsibility for appointing the Chancellor of USL.
He refuted claims that the Minister of Higher Education had jeopardized the students’ interests and clarified that the graduation date had been set for April prior to the saga. Minister Bah assured students that the ceremony would proceed as planned and that all necessary actions would be taken before April.
Regarding the strike action by the Academic Staffs Association (ASA), Minister Bah mentioned progress in resolving the matter, attributing it to the efforts of the Minister of Higher Education. He confirmed that the government is working to address issues such as benefits, backlog, severance, and promotions through the collaboration of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Higher Education.
Professor Aiah Lebbie has been appointed as the acting Vice Chancellor, and Minister Bah noted that he had already commenced his duties. Additionally, the University Court has been reconstituted.
While the strike action had stalled activities such as matriculation ceremonies and exams, efforts are underway to ensure that these events proceed as scheduled, with hopes for the matriculation ceremony to be conducted next week.
Minister Bah urged the public to seek clarification from official sources rather than relying on social media rumors. He emphasized that various engagements have been held to address the ongoing strike issue, dispelling the notion that university activities have come to a standstill.
