Sierra Leone News: United Methodist University Offers Preparatory Program for Private WASSCE Candidates
By Kelvin Roberts
In a bid to address decline in performance of students in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), the United Methodist University, a private institution of higher learning operated by the United Methodist Conference, has established the United Methodist Preparatory Program (UMPP) at the former president Lodge at Kingharman Road in Freetown.
The Program offers a second chance to candidates who could not make good grades to enter university after their first attempt of WASSCE.
This Program also seeks to offers quality tutorials for student wishing to take the private WASSCE examination which is in conformity with President Bio’s vision of “No Child Left Behind”.
Speaking to Premier News, the Director of Studies, United Methodist Preparatory Program, and former Principal of the Albert Academy, Mr. Albert Fofie Kawa said the program seeks to address the massive failures at WASSCE over the last three years.
He said to address this challenge, the United Methodist Preparatory Program has recruited well trained, qualified and motivated teachers to deliver quality lectures with modern teaching methods.
He said they intend to implement an effective supervision of all teaching and learning process.
The director of studies stated that guidance and counselling is a critical component of the entire program, as it will help to assess and evaluate students’ personal, social, psychological and behavioral challenges.
He said that various reasons could be attributed to this while citing lack of proper preparation of students, as the main cause of the mass failure in WASSCE. He noted that most times candidates take the examination without fully covering the entire syllabus.
He noted that lack of trained, qualified and motived teachers is also affecting the quality of education in the country.
The veteran educationist added that breakdown in societal and moral values is impacting all aspect of life including education, while bemoaning the indiscipline behavior and attitudinal problems among students. He called on parents to effectively supervise and monitor the educational progress of their children.
He admonished students not to misuse social media, but to take advantages of the many benefits it offers them.
Albert Kawa was principal of The Albert Academy for 15 years. During his tenure, the school produced the best results in WASSCE in West Africa. He is also a two time AWOL Teacher of the Year winner.
