By Sulaiman Jalloh
Chancellor of USL has thrilled graduates, staff and attendees of the University of Sierra Leone graduation ceremony. It could be recalled that the three constituent colleges of USL (FBC, IPAM and COMAHS) recently held graduations on between 23rd-25th April, 2024 at the Amphitheatre FBC campus.
Delivering her address, P.C Dr. Margret Catherine Bio-Gbanie IV stated that excellence is not a destination, but a journey, while promising that she is ready to lead the university into a new chapter of excellence, saying embarrassing change does not mean the values and traditions that have shift the people of the country instead it calls for a fusion of tradition and innovation.
According to the first female chancellor of the University of Sierra Leone, as they navigate through the new era, it is good to remember that excellence is not a destination but a journey. “a journey of relentless, pursuit of knowledge, unwavering commitment to integrity, and steadfast dedication to the betterment of our community and society at large” she pointed out, while calling on everyone to come together to challenge the course of excellence towards the values that bind the citizens and to embrace change with an open heart and mind, saying it is through change one can strive. She said the university caters centrally for developing carders in mining, engineering, pure and applied sciences, saying it offers the verse changing need of the African country.
Dr. Haja Ramatulai Wurrie, minister of technical and higher education said the government’s commitment to excellence remains unwavering, while recognizing the emerging challenges in the higher education sector across the country. The minister noted that the government is ready to improve the quality and accessibility of education. She emphasizes the need to achieve the government’s big five game changers priorities while calling on the university to be and part and contribute to sustainable development.
Minister Wurrie urged the graduates to use education as a positive tool for positive change in their communities and the country at large. “I challenge each of to be Ambassadors of positive change” the minister called on the graduates.
Prof. Aiah Labbie, acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal-USL said the university received over twenty-six thousand applicants who wanted to enter the university to study various and different programs but because of the space challenges they were only able to accommodate twenty-one thousand students, saying it is a lot if the existing facilities are considered. He said they are thinking to innovative new ideas by providing an online program for the remaining students to benefit from the university, saying the university should be a place where students can strive in connection to great universities across the World can do.
According to him, the big five game changers especially the ‘feed Salone’ he believes that the university can push it on their own, saying they can champion their own destiny.
Mamadu Jalloh who studied social work and emerged as the best graduating student with an average of 3.92 shared his excitement with Expo Times Newspaper. “At the moment, I can’t say everything, because looking at the concept of four years six month and coming from a poor home and coming out as the best graduating students for the academic year 2023/2024, I must say thanks to my family, the university and my fellow students,” Jalloh expressed, saying out of forty-eight modules, he got excellence in forty modules. He advised others to work hard to make themselves and their families proud.
Erica Konneh, who emerged as the best female graduating with an average of 3.91, who also studied social work, said as wife and a worker, it was not easy, noting during her final year, with social media challenges it was not an easy ride for her. “When you come to the university be focused on what you are about to do and bear in mind education gets the future” she advised.
Copyright –Published in print in Expo Times Newspaper on Friday, April 26TH, 2024 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
