The Vice Chancellor and Principal of the Milton Margai Technical University (MMTU), Dr. Philip John Kanu on Wednesday 2nd February 2022 revealed that government has increased the salaries of lecturers and staff by 25%, that they are paid on time, that the new University Court would be inaugurated and hold its maiden meeting on Thursday 3rd February 2022 that would mandate the college to operate as a full fledge Technical University and commended students for their good conduct as there is peace in all the three campuses of the university.
He made the disclosure at the first Students’ General Assembly of the Technical University held at the Great Hall of the Goderich campus in Freetown.
He disclosed that massive rehabilitation of the classrooms, hotels and staff quarters would soon commence to be completed before the next elections and commended the President, the Ministries of Technical and Higher Education and Finance respectively and the Tertiary Education Commission for their invaluable support to the institution over the years and the First Lady for donating chairs to the University’s Great Hall and beds to the clinic asserting that the campus is clean and tidy.
He continued that staff and lecturers have to reapply to meet the new Technical University status.
According to the Dr. Philip John Kanu, continuing students must pay 60% of their fees before they are allowed to take their examinations while final year students must pay 100% asserting that 15thJanuary was the deadline for the payment of fees that is still a major challenge even though fines are now levied for late payment of fees.
He also disclosed that the fees paid by students are among others used to run the MMTU, that plans are underway to procure five vehicles for the Deans of campuses as well as buy reagents for the laboratories, further informed that the academic year stated on 2nd October 2021, that examinations start on 28th February, warned students that the Examination Office is out of bounds, that very soon the ban on Students’ Union activities would be lifted, that the canteens in the three campuses would soon be opened, that the university would register for the Inter-University and Colleges Sports and encouraged students to harness their talents in sports, music, singing and drama.
He also informed that the Students’ Union government and college administration of the Congo Cross campus, with support from companies like Gento, Africell and the Sierra Leone Roads Authority, have launched a project to rehabilitate the road leading to the college, that the Brookfields campus would soon have a state-of-the-art facility that includes a 24-bedroom hotel, kitchen and classrooms and disclosed that plans are underway to construct hotels along the Goderich beach front for practical work highlighting that the Congo Cross campus has the best hall named the Julius Maada Bio Hall.
Earlier, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Dr. Mohamed Alie Jalloh lamented that a number of students are not attending classes and congratulated all students who passed their last examinations encouraging others that they must endure to the last, that they must excel throughout their courses as well as do their best to succeed and wished the students fruitful deliberations.
The event was chaired by the college’s registrar, Mr. Sheriffu Bangura while the question and answer session climaxed the assembly.