By Sheku Putka Kamara
The other day, news broke out about how Fourah Bay College (FBC) largely discourages the idea of repeating modules and courses. To cut a long matter very short, constant repeaters now risk continuing their studies and so imagine where we are headed. Even without elucidating further, it goes without saying that the new law when fully implemented will see hundreds if not thousands of students leaving our citadel of learning. While I hold several postulations, reservations and opinions on the new policy, let it be noted that the wordings of this article equally guarantee an open market place of ideas and so let us box on!
First, I may not have understood what led to the taking of such a decision, but I feel like our college is now suggesting that there should be no room for failures and or repeaters. From the word go, we have to be clearer that educational settings of such a nature create room for weak learners to an extent that it is never an issue entirely if there are repeaters. Are we now suggesting that everyone MUST PASS? Are we really capacitated to get to that stage in such times?
As a Lecturer at FBC, let us face the fact that we still have some catching up to do. One, we are still faced with scenarios that make learning not too conducive for the students. We still have situations where some students may not have access to chairs and tables during lectures. Is that really ideal? With the thousands of students that are admitted at FBC each year, one of them tempted to ask if we have the requisite staff capacity and atmospheric conditions to house all of the new guys. We cannot continue to mend things all in the name of protecting the image of the college.
As someone that has lectured in a few other private universities and colleges, I can argue that some of such places have set systems that cannot be distorted, not at all. For example, if a class has a capacity of thirty students, that’d be the cut off point. This is where we are not getting it right at FBC. For example, a department may be having a topmost accommodation of say one hundred students. Why would you accept two hundred or more students in that same department when in actual face it is impossible to house all of them in such a place? You see that? Many a time, we are our problems.
I will further advance my argument that our universities have to be ready and be willing to improve. If we consider the cash that comes in, we should really be seeing some developments. We do not have to be over-reliant on government because there are a whole lot of other stuffs that have to be amended.
While I continue to make a case for the new students and parents by extension, it is equally prudent for them to be able to leave up to expectations. It all starts with the WASSCE. At out then Mass Communication department for example, now under the Faculty of Communication, Media and Information Studies, freshers used to write the special English examination (diagnostic exam). With that exam, we do not care the kind of WASSCE result you may have presented. The bottom line is that the exam should be passed. Otherwise, our department will be a no-go area. Before now, both diploma and degree applicants will write the exam. Whiles time may have changed, there is still some sense of quality assurance in that regard.
I will also call on the university to standardize and scrutinize applicants. Getting thorough and sober applicants will be advantageous. Otherwise, we would continue to face some of these issues. In all of this, whiles money is important, the urge to maintain quality should not be treated with levity. So, that which is to be done should be done and in time too, in the best interest of all and sundry.
We expect the university to be a place where students are accordingly trained, among other things and so best practices have to take centre stage. Until then, may we all continue to do the right things!
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, January 22nd, 2024 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
