Sierra Leone News: Justice Biobele Decries Limkokwing University
By Hasbin Shaw
Commissioner Biobele Georgewill of the Commission of Inquiry has on Monday August 19, 2019, criticized the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, Sierra Leone campus, for charging Sierra Leonean students unfairly high tuition fees.
The Judge made this observation following discrepancy over payment of grant-in-aid for students between the Government of Sierra Leone and the Limkokwing University, which was brought to the Commission of Inquiry for investigation. The University authorities are claiming that the government owes them, while the government is also claiming that it overpaid the University.
The Nigerian George said that the Limkokwing University fees are exorbitantly high for Sierra Leonean students. He established that students in Malaysia pay US$3, 300 for degree courses without any government support, adding that charging Sierra Leonean students US$3000 for degree courses with virtually every government support is unfair to the people of Sierra Leone.
The Judge also questioned why the University would charge foundation fees the same as degree fees which he said should be different. He said that it is unfair for the Sierra Leonean students to pay US$3,000 for foundation courses; which he said is exorbitantly high, adding that this should be fees for degree programmes.
“I am for Limkokwing University. I like education; I like development, but at what cost?” the judged questioned. He said that “you must determine a reasonable thing for the people of Sierra Leone particularly for what the government has done for your institution.”
The judge was of the view that the fees must be reviewed, adding that the Government has provided building facility and granted tax waver for the Limkokwing University to operate freely during the establishment of the institution.
In her response, the head of the Limkokwing University, Sierra Leone Campus, Agness Muthoni Mugo explained how the university fee came about, and the quality of service they are providing.
She said that they took note of the investment on the ground in developing the campus even before 2016, adding that they put up a structure of ten lecture rooms, a library and five multimedia labs which are fully equipped with computers, and built studios for architectures and design students.
She said that the natures of their courses are expensive and the institution was unable to get local staff to offer some of the courses and had to send foreign lecturers to offer some of their courses. She added that they currently have 57 lecturers including 21 foreign lecturers.
She said that the institution is currently reviewing its fees, adding they are have reduced the university fess for private students by 50 percent, and they are also reviewing the fees for students on government scholarship.
