Jane Salihu
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Sierra Leone’s efforts to establish a centralized and technology-driven admissions system for tertiary institutions, marking a significant step in educational collaboration between the two West African nations.
The commitment was made during a high-level stakeholder engagement organized by Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Technical and Higher Education (MTHE) in Freetown.
JAMB’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, who disclosed this in a statement, said the engagement followed a recent visit by a Sierra Leonean delegation led by the Deputy Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Sarjoh Aziz-Kamara, to Nigeria, where they understudied the operations of Nigeria’s centralized admissions framework during JAMB’s Annual Policy Meeting.
The visit subsequently led to the approval of a technical support mission by the Nigerian Ministry of Education to assist Sierra Leone in designing and implementing its own admissions system.
Speaking at the engagement, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Dr. Haja Ramatulai Wurie, disclosed that the proposed Centralized Admissions System (CAS) had already secured Cabinet approval and derives legal backing from the Universities Act of 2021.
According to her, the reform is aimed at addressing inefficiencies associated with the current decentralized admissions process while providing a unified digital platform for universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions across the country.
Dr. Wurie explained that the initiative is being implemented through extensive collaboration with key national institutions, including the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC), the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA), the National Telecommunications Authority (NATCA), the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, and other technology partners.
She emphasized that Sierra Leone’s objective is not to replicate another country’s model but to adapt proven global best practices to suit its unique educational environment. The minister also expressed appreciation to Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, for facilitating JAMB’s technical support, describing the partnership as crucial to the successful restructuring of Sierra Leone’s admissions system.
Also speaking, Deputy Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Sarjoh Aziz-Kamara, described the initiative as a transformative reform aimed at promoting transparency, fairness, accountability, and efficiency in higher education admissions. He revealed that Cabinet had approved the establishment of a Centralized Admissions Secretariat within the ministry to coordinate admissions through a single digital platform.
The stakeholder engagement attracted broad participation from across Sierra Leone’s education sector, including the Permanent Secretary of MTHE, Mohamed Sheick Kargbo; Chief Technical and Higher Education Officer, Dr. Josephus Brimah; Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Conrad Sackey; Chairman of the Conference of Vice-Chancellors and Principals, Prof. Edwin J.J. Momoh; Chairman of the Conference of Principals, Peter J. Sandy; Head of WAEC Sierra Leone, Matilda Jusu; representative of TEC, Prof. Osman Sankoh; Director of Corporate and Industry Affairs of NATCA, Abdul Ben Foday; Director-General of NCRA, Mohamed Massaquoi; Director of Higher Education, Emmanuel J. Momoh Esq.; and Deputy Chief Technical and Higher Education Officer, Sia Fasuluku.
A major highlight of the engagement was JAMB’s presentation of a comprehensive framework for developing a national digital admissions architecture capable of improving data integrity, eliminating duplication, enhancing transparency, and supporting evidence-based educational planning.
Addressing participants, JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, commended the Government of Sierra Leone for its inclusive and consultative approach to the reform process. He noted that Nigeria established its centralized admissions system in 1978 to address challenges similar to those currently confronting Sierra Leone and assured stakeholders of JAMB’s readiness to provide continuous technical support throughout the implementation process.
Prof. Oloyede stressed that the objective was not to export the Nigerian model wholesale but to assist Sierra Leone in developing a system tailored to its national realities while benefiting from decades of practical experience in admissions administration.
The Nigerian delegation included the Chairman of the Association of West African Universities (AWAU), Prof. Wahab Egbewole; JAMB’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr. Fabian Benjamin; Deputy Director of Operations, Ashura Abdullahi; Data Analyst, Oluwaseyi Bada; and Social Media Content Provider, Prince Kalu.
The engagement is being viewed as a landmark moment in regional educational cooperation, with both countries leveraging shared experiences and innovation to strengthen transparency, efficiency, and access in higher education administration across West Africa.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings