By Steven Ngaujah
Some Le 2.6 billion was raised at the launch of the Kono District Education Development Fund over the weekend. It comes as the government reaffirmed its commitment to building the much anticipated University of Science and Technology in the district.
Vice President Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh officially launched the Fund, an initiative meant to promote education at all levels in the district. The launch which was part of a stakeholders’ meeting convened to update the people of Kono on progress in the university project which will see the eastern mineral rich district host the first ever university dedicated to providing scholarship in science and technology in the country.
“This is an opportunity for me to officially launch the Kono District Education Development Fund so that indigenes of this district, including institutions, particularly mining companies, can contribute to the education development of this district,” the VP declared.
The Vice President, who led the pledges, said the fund would be used to support every education initiative in the district, but was quick to stress that the university would be funded by the Government and ECOWAS and other international partners.
The VP told the audience gathered in the Fachima Hall in Koidu town that President Julius Maada Bio considered human capital development as fundamental for Sierra Leone’s development, hence his desire to provide access to quality technical and higher education. He added that the University of Science and Technology was a major part of that dream.
President Bio, according to his VP, holds the view that the establishment of a university in Kono is crucial towards addressing years of social injustice the district has contended with despite being a major contributor to the national coffers through its mineral wealth.
Professor Aiah Gbakima, Minister of Technical and Higher Education, assured the people of Kono that after repeated failures and unfulfilled promises by previous administrations to build the university, the Bio Administration was going to make that dream a reality.
He said that besides the preparation of a detailed survey plan by the Ministry of Lands which had been presented to the President, preliminary consultations had been held between the relevant ministries of Technical and Higher Education, Finance, and Economic Planning and Development. He said the Bank of India would provide the funds through the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
He said ECOWAS required the Government of Sierra Leone to provide them with a cabinet approval of the project, the legal instrument setting it up and a feasibility study of the site which he said would soon be carried out. Once that was done, he said, the ECOWAS Board would meet in December for possible approval.
Prof Gbakima praised the effort of the ECOWAS Vice President, Finda Koroma – herself a native of the district – for identifying the source of the funds.
Speaking on behalf of the district stakeholders, Mayor of Koidu Tiown, Matthew Komba Sam applauded the government for a venture he described as “historic.”
Mayor Sam said that in completion, the project will address the age long challenges students from the district go through in search of higher education outside the district. He said this has led to a lot of dropouts in the local population.
The amount of Le2.6 billion was raised as pledges by prominent individuals and institutions operating in the district, including construction companies, government officials, other private businesses and individuals.
For many Kono residents, the question now is when construction for the new university will commence.
© 2019 Politico Online
