AYV News, December 1, 2025
Declaring the congregation opened for the conferment of degrees, diplomas and certificates for the 2024/2025 academic year with the theme, ‘Empowering Youths Through Technical/Vocational Education for National Development’, the Vice Chancellor and Principal of the Milton Margai Technical University (MMTU), Professor Philip John Kanu enlightened that innovative thinking transforms communities to achieve the President’s vision of Human Capital Development.
The historic event took place at the Peace and Love Amphitheatre of the Goderich Campus in Freetown.
In her keynote address, the First Lady, Dr. Fatima Bio stressed that the day is a day of triumph, a culmination of sacrifices, sleepless nights, resilience and the unshakable belief that the dreams of the grandaunts are worthy of pursuit articulating that they are not just collecting certificates; but the keys to their future.
The First Lady furthered that as the grandaunts leave MMTU, they must go with them five commitments: Embrace lifelong learning. Remain curious, hungry and adaptable. Pursue excellence. Be innovative and agile and above all serve their community encouraging them to be courageous and resilient noting that setbacks would come, but that they must not stop signs that are stepping stones reiterating that they must persevere with dignity and determination.
“Be the ones who build our infrastructure, drive our tourism, power our industry and grow our agriculture. You are the champions of sustainable development; you are the heartbeat of Sierra Leone’s progress,” the keynote speaker underscored and also appealed to the grandaunts to take their awards, pause and honor their journey, struggles and victories, then step into the future with courage, pride and purpose.
Dr. Fatima Bio also noted that women are rising unshakably as 60% of the grandaunts are women who have planted the seeds to transform Sierra Leone.
The Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Professor Ramatulia Wurie admonished the grandaunts to carry the touch of MMTU and celebrate academic excellence, that the graduation aligns with the President’s vision which priorities education at the heart of national development underlining that they are the new generation of problem solvers with strong technical/vocational skills to build industries and strengthen the country’s infrastructure.
She continued that Sierra Leone is modernizing its technical/vocational training to build solutions for communities and the nation asserting that learning should be practical and hands-on, that they are developing the curriculum in partnership with industries, embarked on staff development and quality assurance and appealed to the grandaunts to be job creators and not seekers adding that talents have no gender and ambition no boundaries.
The Vice Chancellor and Principal, Professor Philip John Kanu also commended the First Lady for her numerous initiatives that have created impact in the lives of women and girls, especially the Hands Off our Girls Campaign, commended girls who are now venturing into technical vocational skills, informed that out of the 1,246 grandaunts, 748 or 60% are girls and that the Best Overall Student is a female with 4.90 culminative grade points adding that the MMTU has introduced new modules into the engineering curriculum and upgraded its workshops for hands-on training.
Dr. Kanu also revealed that 25 academic staff are studying for their M.Phils. and PhDs both at home and abroad, that they have published 23 articles in peer review journals, that examination malpractices have reduce drastically, that the MMTU has organized the first staff promotional assessment, integrated entrepreneurship in all the programs, secured funding to rehabilitate Kush victims and that the International Atomic Energy Agency has upgraded its laboratories that are being utilised by PhD students from Njala and other Universities.
According to the Vice Chancellor and Principal, the BADEA project is constructing/renovating various buildings in the three campuses of the university, that they have completed recruitment of staff for the new university status and that they would start receiving their new salaries at the end of this month, that the MMTU has partnerships with all the tertiary institutions in the country, receiving support from the alumni, Africell and Mercy Ships among others and underscored the University’s zero tolerance against sexual harassment.
Other developments he highlighted included empowerment of youths in Information, Communications and Technology (ICT) and Laboratory Technicians, training of 1,000 commercial motorbike riders on alternative sources of income and commended the President, the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education, the MMTU University Court and administration and staff for their unflinching support.
Earlier in his welcome statement, the Vice Principal, Dr. Mohamed Alie Jalloh acclaimed the First Lady for her invaluable support to tertiary institutions in the country, especially the MMTU and that her address to the grandaunts would leave an indelible impact in their lives, congratulated them for their exemplary performance as well as their passion for academic excellence and appealed to them to bask on their own achievements. He also urged them to be proud of themselves and always visit the MMTU.
Highlights of the well-attended event were conferment of degrees, diplomas and certificates to the grandaunts, presentation of cash prizes, trophies and certificates to the best students, the vote of thanks by the University Orator and the singing of the University Song.
