The University of Liberia (UL), through its delegation to Sierra Leone, has hailed a milestone partnership between UL and the Ernest Bai Koroma University of Science and Technology (EBKUST).
The delegation, headed by UL Vice president for Legal Affairs, Cllr. Viama J. Blama, on Saturday, January 20, 2024, honored an invitation to attend EBKUST’s 5th Convocation Ceremony for the conferment of degrees and awarding of diplomas and certificates to graduates.
The ceremony was held at the Prof. E.J.J. Momoh Pavilion on EBKUST’s Magburaka campus, Sierra Leone. It marked the graduation ceremony of the second cohort of EBKUST’s post-graduate students.
Speaking during the ceremony, Cllr. Blama said UL president, Julius Sarwolo Nelson, had asked him to greet the EBKUST family and to say how much he appreciates the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that was signed between UL and EBKUST.
He said the MoU between the two universities was a concept initiated by the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone and the visitor of EBKUST, Julius Maada Bio, referring to him as ‘our graduate’.
According to Cllr. Blama, Nelson had asked him to let the EKBUST family know that this unity between the two universities would exist beyond the current government.
He also explained that Liberia’s new President, Joseph Nyuma Boakai, attended a school in Sierra Leone, telling the gathering, “We are a family, so separation is not possible.
“Addressing the graduates, the UL Vice president appreciated their efforts and challenged them to be ambassadors of not only their alma mater, EBKUST, but its partnership as well.
Meanwhile, Cllr. Blama has cautioned EBKUST to beware of fraudsters, fly-by-night organizations, and individuals who come to taint the administration black, take away the resources, and leave the country.
He suggested the need to push for pre-financing when entering an agreement with institutions, to prevent them from doing anything negative.
Cllr. Blama stated that today, the transport system at the University of Liberia is privatized, noting that the hurdles the university previously had no longer exist.
“Pre-finance system is very good,” said Cllr. Blama. During the ceremony, Cllr. Blama and his team presented a gift to EBKUST on behalf of UL and the Association of Liberian Universities, as a symbol that the relationship between UL and EBKUST, and the citizens of the two countries, will live on forever.
The gift presented to EKBUST comprised two beautifully printed large-sized photos of UL president and EBKUST Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Rev. Prof. Edwin J.J. Momoh.
Vice-Chancellor Momoh said his institution’s partnership and collaborative programs with universities include institutions in Canada, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Ghana, The Gambia, Rwanda, and Ivory Coast, among others. Momoh welcomed the UL delegation at the convocation ceremony. According to him, public-private partnerships in education can help make significant progress in delivering on the relevance of programs and the quality of products.
He noted that the good news is that EBKUST’s Chancellor, David Omatshola Carew, is the one with the right mindset to position the administration for full implementation of the public-private partnership drive. He said EBKUST was cautious to brace itself in exploring other viable sources of funding, as the institution throughout 2022 and 2023 was busy working around the theme “Institutional Autonomy of Higher Education Governance in Sierra Leone: Managing the Transition.”
He said, among EBKUST’s six strategic pillars is the provision of relevant and high-quality academic programs that address the government’s quest for professional and meritocratic public service that is fit for purpose.
He pledged that EBKUST shall continue to produce the best and brightest graduates to serve the people of Sierra Leone.
