By Abass Jalloh
Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio has declared the Milton Margai College of Education and Technology (MMCET) as a Technical University.
The president made the pronouncement on Sunday, December 6th, at the MMCET campus at Goderich in Freetown, where he disclosed that Le3.5 billion awaited the institution as Skills Development Fund for improvement of its infrastructure and among other things.
The status of the institution will have to be confirmed by parliament for it to become official.
Politico learnt that a letter was addressed to the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) in September from the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education, confirming the Minister’s acceptance of recommendations for converting the institution into a technical university.
The Chairman of the TEC, Professor Aliyageen Alghali, said the college and the community have set a precedent and that the institution has met all the requirements of the TEC for it to be a university.
“The Commission notes that the decision of transforming this college into a technical university was unanimously agreed upon by the Commission and that compliance on the side of the college was done to satisfaction,” he said.
In a presentation at the event on Saturday, the Principal of MMCET, Dr. Philip John Kanu, commended President Bio’s leadership and expressed gratitude for the development of the institution and he especially appreciated the transformation of the college to university.
“The transformation of the college into a technical university will provide a state of the art lab, a robust administrative system, robust ICT that ensure a digitally run campus,” he said.
The principal expressed excitement for what this development has brought to the college, staff, students, community, and others, adding that the technical university would help foster development.
“It is like you are destined for the development of this college, you have shown the college that you are truly the champion of Human Capital Development,” Dr. Kanu told President Bio.
Delivering his key notes, President Bio said technical universities should be in position to advance the strategic goals that are in the technical and vocational training areas “more vigorously”.
“Students must be granted the opportunity to achieve the highest qualifications in technical education from an accredited university. It therefore gives me great pleasure to launch the Skills Development Fund valued at Le3.5 billion and formally commission the series of infrastructural improvements,” he declared.
President Bio further said that he believed that a skilled and resourceful labour force can unlock rapid national development through relevant training in science, technology and innovation.
“Workforce development through basic training, reskilling and upskilling is the precursor for innovation, manufacturing and for economic transformation,” he said.
Founded in 1963, MMCET was established as Milton Margai Teachers College, named after the first Prime Minister of Sierra Leone, Sir Milton Margai, under whose regime the institution was founded. It was meant to offer Teacher’s and Advanced Certificate courses. Later the college added Technical and Vocational Education to its courses.
Since inception to date, the collage has produced many people with various technical expertise, especially teachers.
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