By: Saidu Jalloh (Intern)
With the ongoing Bilateral Budget discussion organized by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education led by the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Gilbert Cooper has presented over 200 Million New Leones as their budget for 2024.
Before the presentation, Mr. Gilbert Cooper used the opportunity to explain the mission and vision of the Ministry. In explaining, The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education, Mr. Gilbert Cooper explained the vision and said that all Sierra Leoneans have equal opportunity to access and complete quality Primary, Secondary, Technical/ Vocational and Higher Education that enables them to participate in public life, contribute to the national and global economy and fulfil potentials he also explained that their mission is to promote access and completion of quality Technical/ Vocational and Higher Education through appropriate policies and resources for the advancement of education in Sierra Leone.
He further explained the agencies in which the ministry is supervising in which he said are Tertiary Education Commission, Universities, Polytechnics, Teachers Training College, Technical and Vocational Training Institution, National Council for Technical Vocational and other Academic Awards (NCTVA), National Science and Technology Council and also working closely with allied institution such as Teaching Service Commission, Sierra Leone Loan Scheme, S/L Archives, Youth Commission, Parliamentary Oversight Committee, Development partners and Line MDAs.
Mr. Gilbert Cupper also updates the audience on their budget execution in 2022, in which he said they had executed 58% and spent Le 82,073,790.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education, Mr. Gilbert Cooper noted that they established new and upgraded existing Higher Educational Institutions in which he said that they have Eastern Polytechnic and Milton Margai College had been upgraded to Universities respectively, staff categorization commenced, the university courts reconstituted for the 6 public universities, chancellors installed and inaugurated and orientation ceremony organized for the Chancellor and Vice Chancellor and Principals.
He added that 416.599 acres of land available at Kono for the project, pre-feasibility study completed, contract awarded to commence construction of the University while renovation of PROWA and Riba Hotel for temporal hosting of the University is ongoing. Meanwhile, he said that Chancellor is appointed and court constituted for the University. All other process leading to the operationalization is on course: Curriculum, recruitment, tools and equipment.
Also in the discussion, Mr. Gilbert Cooper took the audience through their five deliverables I’m 2022, he highlighted those deliverables in which he said are: The establishment of new and upgrading existing Higher Educational Institutions, Kono, Bonthe, EP, MMCET, provide support to student locally and internationally in that the provide seed money for student loan scheme, implementation of the students loan scheme, support to free quality education, review, standardized and harmonization of curriculum for teacher education, validation, popularization and implementation of teaching practice policy.
He also spoke about the digitalization and digitization and quality assurance in Technical and Higher Education, here he lamented that the operation of all public institution are now partially digital in terms of applications for admission, registration, financial transaction, system administration, voting (SU elections) quality assurance unit established in 5out of 6 tertiary institutions, Digital Learning Management System established by the MTHE and it is being used by the six (6) HEIs, hands on training on the use of learning management systems for conducted.
He stated the achievement of the Ministry, that they had upgraded FTC/GTI Kissy to a Polytechnic, University Act 2022 approved by parliament and given presidential assent, resource center rehabilitated and equipped in 5 Higher Education Institution, education plan 2022-2026 developed and launched.
He also highlighted the challenges of the ministry in 2022, in which he said are unlimited office space, training, limited staff, inadequate vehicles, limited funds, lack of equipment and tools, inadequate infrastructure at HEIs to meet the growing student enrollment, inadequate tools and equipment at Tech/Voc institution, inadequate availability of science laboratories/ equipment at HEIs.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education, Mr. Gilbert Cooper ended the discussion with the amount of revenue MTHE would be needed to expedite their activities for the Fiscal 2024.