News Story

FREETOWN: PRINCE MANNAH LUSENI: On Friday, October 5, 2007, President Ernest Bai Koroma addressed parliament and this nation saying that his nascent All Peoples Congress (APC) party government will provide to all qualified Sierra Leoneans "access to affordable tertiary education" and "with a determination to restructure the delivery system." If this item 64 on the speech sheet was sparse on detail, President Koroma's policies have been shorter on commitment to enhancing even the existing paltry tertiary education standards. Now, students in higher institutions of learning are planning to go on strike if the government grants-in-aid or SLG is not given to deserving students within the shortest possible time. This was disclosed to some local journalists and to this reporter by some disgruntled and bitter students from FBC, NUC and IPAM.

The students were particularly appalled by the government’s insensitivity to education by reducing Le5 billion from the education budgetary support to tertiary institutions. Most of them took great exception to the reduction and blamed the delay in releasing the list of SLG awardees the government's decision to pocket or re-direct Le5 billion allocated for tertiary education to something else that the Ministry of Education has failed to mention.

The students had been interviewed by the Ministry of Education interview panel since October-November last year but have not seen the results up to now which is deep into the second semester. Some were also incensed when they were told by officials of the ministry of education that the grants will only cover tuition and not accommodation which eats huge chunk of students’ fees.

Several attempts have been made by the students to get the ministry to release the list but to no avail. The Minister of Education Dr. Minkailu Bah has only compounded matters with his arrogant approach to students’ issues. Recently he prevented a NUSS convention from taking place in Bo on the flimsy excuse of the NUSS leader’s suspension from FBC even though he is enrolled in another college. The Minister further displayed his ineptitude for the hot seat by publicly saying over the popular radio program ‘Tea break’ that since he was appointed minister of education the NUSS president Alex Bonapha has not called to congratulate him.

While he is busy blocking the moves of the NUSS executive the students are getting impatient with him and the inept government and are planning a peaceful demonstration.

Meanwhile, our correspondent has been reliably informed that the APC government is working behind the scenes to remove the current executive and install an executive of their choice. We are monitoring.