By Mabinty M. Kamara
The Technical Education Commission (TEC) has in a press statement warned the Dominion Christian College to halt operation over lack of appropriate accreditation.
The Tertiary Education Commission Act (2001) and its regulations (2006) provides for any person or foreign institution, who wish to establish a tertiary education in Sierra Leone or offer tertiary Education in the country, to apply for approval from TEC.
However, according to the statement issued by TEC, this is yet to be observed by the owners of Dominion College, which is based in Waterloo.
The warning comes as the college started advertising for enrolment of students for the 2020/2021 academic year.
“TEC wishes to inform the general public that Dominion Christian College (DCC) SL is not an accredited college with the commission and therefore considers its operations, including award of certificates, diplomas and/or degrees as illegal and unauthorized. Any such awards granted are therefore not recognized and cannot be used for gainful employment in Sierra Leone,” the statement reads in part.
Last month, there was a row on social media after the Technical Education Commission (TEC) released a statement questioning the authenticity of Dominion College to operate as a college in the country.
This was after the College awarded an honorary Doctorate Degree to some people, including the Inspector General of Police, Ambrose Sovula. This raised concerns among the public.
Dr. Ezekiel Bangura, Founder and Chancellor of Dominion Christian College, confirmed to Politico that they were yet to be accredited by the Tertiary Education Commission but noted that they had started the registration process as of Thursday 22nd October, with the purchasing of the form worth Le 5,000,000.
He went on to note that they have currently halted their activities as demanded by TEC.
“We really started but we have put everything on hold. I am just from TEC now. We just paid for the form for the registration so that we can start the process. I paid at the Bank of Sierra Leone and have gone to the Commission; they have given me their own receipt. So we are coming to work on the form now, do all the proposals, because they gave us six months, they will come and supervise what we are doing before they can give us the accreditation,” he explained.
Dr. Bangura said they had long wanted to complete the registration process but that they had been challenged by funding. However, he said the board was able to raise the needed sum to complete the registration with the TEC.
Bangura noted that the college had already started operation in Christian education, but that they now wanted to start circular programs which cut across other fields of studies.
“Really, from the past, we have been doing intakes but in Christian programmmes. Biblical programmes in theology, applied theology. But now we want to formally start circular programs, which is why we have started the registration process,” he said.
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