By Chernor Alimamy Kamara
The Students Union Government (SUG) of Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone has updated journalists on a series of projects they have been embarking on since being elected into office.
According to the Minister of Information (SUG), Mary Magdalene Keifala, the election into the office of the first female President on the shores of Aureol brought with it ‘understandably’ high expectations. She said that since the student population at FBC is ever increasing, the need for adequate representation to properly channel concerns to the relevant authorities, cannot be overemphasized.
‘’As students, we have an existing social contract with the University, in that we pay our fees, show up for classes, abide by rules and regulations and the administrators, in turn, ensure that we have readily available classrooms, proper sanitary facilities, and an atmosphere that fosters both academic and skills development,’’ she said.
Minister Magdalene noted that heading towards the second-semester exams of the last academic year, the Ministry of Education launched a campaign against all forms of Examination Malpractices, which she said helped significantly in reducing the number of students in conflict with the University policy on the conduct of exams. ‘’Even though there are still pending issues relating to missing grades and the reference exams, especially in the Faculties of Law, Engineering and the Social Sciences, the Minister has been actively engaging the Heads of Departments and Examination officials on the said matter, and there has been tremendous progress where lasting solutions are underway,’’ she said.
The Minister said that the Diploma ‘saga’ which involves the transitioning of students from diploma to degree met stiff resistance from the SUG, noting that her ministry and the SUG President engaged the administration and students who were in Diploma Two at the time of the engagement were allowed to transition as the policy will actively take effect this current year.
Magdalene said that there has been an ‘appalling’ setback of the unavailability of buses on campus. She noted that the Minister of Transportation has been engaging the private sector to see how they can secure an arrangement that will give them buses that are in good working conditions for use ‘momentarily’ as they work on getting their buses back on the road. ‘’And we want to assure the student body that before the semester ends we will have our buses plying at affordable cost,’’ she promised.
The Information Minister noted that monies generated from the just concluded Mr & Miss FBC have been utilized to set up an internet café. She said that Sporting activities have been revived after many years ‘of it being dormant on campus,’ noting that the Ministry of Sports has dialogued with the different teams across the various departments on campus to send in players that will represent them in the University Team.
She stated that projects like the reviving of the Newspaper and Magazine, the ‘Bright Minds Innovation’ competition by the Energy Ministry to help students showcase their skills, the Inter-University Conference by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the setting up of the University Court by the Chief Justice, rehabilitation of classrooms and many more that are geared towards fostering a conducive learning environment for all students were in the pipeline.
‘’We want to assure the student populace that we are doing everything within our mandate to deliver on promises and ensure that we are dealt a fair hand,’’ she said.
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