By Ragan M. Conteh

Parliament’s Tertiary Education Committee’s hearing on Tuesday 30th January 2024 says University of Sierra Leone (USL) is currently in leadership ‘battle for supremacy’.

It is clear that the Committee and the Ministry of Tertiary Education had attempted to settle the leadership dispute yet the administrative of USL is still not pleased with what they perceived as the imposition of someone outside USL’s three constituent colleges.

What is more heartrending that the administration of USL had observed is that Professor Laurent Koroma whom the Ministry of Tertiary Education appointed as Vice Chancellor of the University has not been working, adding that he is above the age limit as stipulated in the University Act.

On this development, the University of Sierra Leone authorities had stated that USL Act is clear about the election of the Pro-chancellor and Chancellor of the University, noting that for tertiary education ministry to select chancellors represents a bad precedent.

The authorities said a bad precedent should not be condoned as it is against the University Act whose action proves unconstitutionality.

The University Court has, however; already recently, elected the Vice Chancellor as mandated by the Act governing the University of Sierra Leone.

The authorities have said they are afraid that this precedent that had been set will create pandemonium in the universities.

“Students in various campuses will soon issue out press releases concerning such decision by parliament and the tertiary education ministry. This is a very bad precedent, that, if not reversed, any incoming administration will not hesitate to get someone outside and impose that person on them like how the Vice Chancellor had been imposed on us,” one of the Court members lamented.

In the reverse, the co-chairman of the Tertiary Education Committee in Parliament, Hon Bashiru Silikie, said a decision had been reached as per the Constitution of Sierra Leone by the supervisory ministry for USL to have an interim Vice Chancellor.

Hon Bashiru Silikie said earlier that the Committee had sent a resolution to the university authority and if that decision is taken it will not be reversed.

He noted while appealing for sanity to prevail as in best interest of education and development as he advised others to adhere to parliament’s ruling.

He said the Vice Chancellor chosen by the Ministry of Tertiary Education will only serve for six months and then a new Vice Chancellor will be appointed.

Hon Silikie said Sierra Leone’s Constitution supersedes the University Act and he implores ASSA members and USL authorities to hold their breath in peace and ensure that a smooth transition is undertaken after the six months period.