By Nasratu Kargbo
The University of Sierra Leone (USL) administration has announced the expulsion of 39 students from the Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM), and suspended 140 others for a period of one and two years , after they were found culpable of examination malpractices in the 2019/ 2020 academic year. Nine other students were exonerated whilst seven final year students had their results withheld for a period of one year.
According to a Press statement issued by the university, the punitive measures were handed down after thorough investigations were conducted over the alleged examination malpractices at the institution. The statement affirmed that investigations by a Disciplinary Committee of the university were conducted in conformity with the Universities Act of 2005 and in cognizance of other rules and regulations of the USL.
The committee submitted their findings and recommendations to the university management which then acted on them, in line with the university’s defined legal instruments.
The disciplinary actions taken on students were done by categories. For the first semester, in “Category A”, five students were found not guilty and therefore exonerated, whilst in “Category B”, seven final year students have had their results withheld for a period of one year. In ‘’Category C” sixty-one students face a year-long rustication, and in “Category D” one student got rusticated for a period of two years. Expulsion was the punishment meted out to one student in “Category E”.
For the second semester, four students in “Category A” were exonerated after they were found “not guilty”. “Category B” and “Category C” had students who have been rusticated. “Category B” comprised sixty-eight who have been rusticated for one year and in “Category C” ten students for two years. Thirty-eight students in “Category D” have been expelled.
The USL statement also indicated that the Registrar had already communicated to each of the affected students officially through a written document over the line of action taken. Meanwhile, each student has been given the opportunity to appeal to the university’s court through the Pro- Chancellor.
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