By Saio Marrah
Female students numbering 520 studying Sciences, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture and Mathematics (STEAM) in the various government -run universities have benefitted from the government’s grant-in- aid. The Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Professor Alpha T. Wurie told journalists at the government’s weekly press briefing last Thursday that the students were among 6,125 that had applied for the 2020/2021 academic year grant.
The minister said even first year STEAM students were included, an action that was in fulfilment of the government’s pledge to provide scholarships to female students of STEAM programmes.
Prof. Wurie spoke about the elaborate and transparent nature of the selection process of the grant awardees, the students having applied online using the Ministry’s portal. They applied from the district they attended schooling and were vetted and interviewed by a district committee established for the purpose.
The entire process was witnessed by representatives of district civil society organisations and the Anti- Corruption Commission. A national committee was also put in place to oversee the exercise. The idea behind the arrangements, Prof. Wurie pointed out, was to make sure it was not biased or politically influenced.
The region that got the highest applicants was the Western Area with 2,682; the successful candidates numbered 869. The North-West had 458 applicants and after the interviews 325 students were approved. 1,262 from the East applied and had 572 approved. For the North, 386 were awarded the grant from 607 that applied. For the South 548 benefitted from 1,116 applicants.
For Technical Vocation Education and Training (TVET) all the 55 students that applied were all awarded. 41 out of 45 applicants from the military benefited whilst the Sierra Leone Police got 50 out of 150 that applied
A total of 2, 700 nationwide got the grant from nine public tertiary institutions targeted.
Prof. Wurie pointed out that all disabled persons were given the grant but noted that cabinet will have to approve first, before the same will be offered to those enrolled in private institutions. He used the opportunity to praise the academic staff of tertiary institutions that he said have been lecturing throughout this rainy season.
He also disclosed that a total of 2.17 billion Leones has been allocated for lecturers and support staff in ten technical institutes that have salary and leave allowance arrears, and said payments will be made to them this September
He spoke about Milton Margai College of Education and Technology, and Eastern Polytechnic , two institutions that will soon function as universities with matters to be handled by a University Court, replacing the Council of Polytechnic .
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online (06/09/21)
