Indeed, Dr. Ojukwu's article reveals an obvious imbalance at the tertiary level of our education system. Such imbalances are almost ubiquitous and do exist in several other areas, with varied levels of intensity and ramifications. Tertiary education in Sierra Leone had long been the envy of educational excellence south of the Sahara. Years of neglect and the deliberate indifference of educators, policy makers and politicians have rendered the educational process and its product abysmally deficient and copiously dysfunctional.
Contrary to my reasoned judgment, a good number of Sierra Leoneans had aligned with the conjecture that the brutality resident in the recent civil war was a fortuitous occurrence void of any potential for a recurrence. Cosmetic changes mirroring short term containment of the symptoms were heralded as long term fix or solutions. Education and youth employment are two crucial areas worthy of our focused and immediate attention. Unless appropriate measures are promptly instituted to address the hopeless and20perilous conditions of the youth, the apparent prevalence of peace will likely evaporate or be reduced to systemic chaos with incalculable imminence.
Some of the efforts of the present administration appear to be in the right direction, though time may not be the greatest ally. It behooves us, therefore, as patriotic Sierra Leoneans to strive to propose viable and timely recommendations or alternatives as the situation warrants, while being deliberate and consistent in our efforts to impress upon our public officials in Sierra Leone the primacy of addressing these socio-economic imperatives responsibly. Such endeavors will surely pave the way for promptly restoring as well as maintaining some approximation of normalcy. |
