The Chancellor of the Milton Margai Technical University (MMTU), Dr. Victor Kabia on Tuesday 6th December 2022 revealed that the Investigation Committee set up by the college’s University Court to investigate the sex for grades, hate speech and other irregularities involving some lecturers has found the Vice-Chancellor and Principal of MMTU, Dr. Philip John Kanu not guilty of any wrongdoing and that the services of those lecturers who were found wanting for various offenses including sex for grades and changing of grades would be terminated.
The Vice-Chancellor and Principal of MMTU, Dr. Philip John Kanu used the occasion to assure students that he is back to seek their welfare and protect them.
The committee also rusticated a female student for one year for being involved in all the cases and the committee is fully convinced that the college would be transformed to a university.
“29 out of the 33 members of the court present voted in favor of reinstating Dr. Philip Kanu. We keenly listened to the manipulated hate speech audio in which he was accused of tribalism” intimating that they want to move away from the status of the polytechnic to University after the two years transition adding that they would soon start charging university fees to pay some of their staff benefits.
He went on to disclose that staff would have to reapply for all positions that would be declared vacant apart from that of the Chancellor, Vice Chancellor and Finance Officer.
Dr. Victor Kabia described Dr. Philip John Kanu as having high academic and administrative skills with high moral rectitude for which he was approved by the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC), commended the President for de-politicizing higher education, that they would not change their position until the institution becomes a university, that people who feel aggrieved should not write letters to State House but the committee and that all staff would be evaluated.
According to Dr. Victor Kabia, the University Court is properly constituted and independent, that MMTU was established by the University Act 2021 and is administered on structures, that the Court has established various structures as well as developed committees to address issues as and when their arise.
He also encouraged staff to upgrade themselves as recommended by the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) which pointed gaps in staff capacity, lamented that some staff absent themselves for months, while others conduct lectures and examinations at home with others employed in two jobs or take leave or study leave without approval or reference to their conditions of service.
Highlighting some of the challenges facing the institution, Dr. Kabia, observed that some lecturers wanted to disrupt the comprehensive examinations, non-payment of backlog arrears owned the institution by government for over three years, government grants-in-aid, land grabbing, late payment, non-payment of staff benefits of Le.26.6 billion and payment of rent allowances to staff due to the lack of funds.
He went on to identify flaws in the University Act 2021, revealed that the Vice Chancellor and Principal of MMTU, Dr. Philip John Kanu has fulfilled all the conditions to serve in the capacity including mobilizing resources and assured that he would continue to do good works for the institution.
The Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Dr. Alpha Tejan Wurie said government has secured funding to rehabilitate the University, called for classes to commence now as he wants MMTU to do well underscoring that Sierra Leone has high-quality students citing those who just returned from India where they excelled in a global competition.
He also reiterated that MMTU would grow after the upheavals, that students have the right to belong to political parties of their choice, that Sierra Leone is not doing badly compared to other countries in the world and is effectively managing its resources and economy and appealed to all to bury the hatchet as he wants the administration to start functioning immediately.
In his statement, Dr. Philip John Kanu affirmed that he wholeheartedly accepts the report of the Committee, that he would return to the MMTU with an open heart and would not offend anyone as MMTU is close to his heart, that the committee is competent, that the President has demonstrated true leadership and apologized for the hate speech audio that went viral emphasizing that everything is past and is looking towards the future and has also forgiven the lecturer who rebelled against him.
He also assured students that he is back to seek their welfare and protect them, that while on suspension people called and insulted him and even his mother, assured that he would not mention any of the issues that caused the disturbances, that the future is in their hands and appealed to lecturers to do their work diligently asserting that even in his absence the institution was effectively managed as the World Bank and other delegations visited the MMTU.
According to Dr. Victor Kabia, the University Court is properly constituted and independent, that MMTU was established by the University Act 2021 and is administered on structures, that the Court has established various structures as well as developed committees to address issues as and when their arise.
He also encouraged staff to upgrade themselves as recommended by the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) which pointed gaps in staff capacity, lamented that some staff absent themselves for months, while others conduct lectures and examinations at home with others employed in two jobs or take leave or study leave without approval or reference to their conditions of service.
Highlighting some of the challenges facing the institution, Dr. Kabia, observed that some lecturers wanted to disrupt the comprehensive examinations, non-payment of backlog arrears owned the institution by government for over three years, government grants-in-aid, land grabbing, late payment, non-payment of staff benefits of Le.26.6 billion and payment of rent allowances to staff due to the lack of funds.
He went on to identify flaws in the University Act 2021, revealed that the Vice Chancellor and Principal of MMTU, Dr. Philip John Kanu has fulfilled all the conditions to serve in the capacity including mobilizing resources and assured that he would continue to do good works for the institution.
Earlier, the Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Mohamed Alie Jalloh welcomed all and updated the gathering that the college reopened on time on 15th October this year, released results on time, conducted comprehensive and reference examinations, registered new and continuing students and that lectures are ongoing right now.
He also informed that plans are underway to soon organize an induction ceremony for new students on 15th December this year and that the institution is currently participating in the Education Week organized by the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education.
