The students had actually staged a demonstration in front of State House (the seat of power in Sierra Leone) after apparently hitting a wall in their negotiations with the college administration which had earlier decreed that only students who had paid their fees could attend lectures.
It has now been agreed that students would now have to pay at least 50 percent of their fees and the registration process has been extended for another week with no late fees to be incurred by the students.
See below the press release from State House. We apologize in advance on behalf of the State House communications unit for the capital letters in the text of the press release:
PRESS RELEASE
CONSEQUENT UPON CONCERNS RAISED BY STUDENTS OF FOURAH BAY COLLEGE (FBC) ON A WIDE RANGE OF ISSUES WHICH THEY ARTICULATED IN A PRESS CONFERENCE ON MONDAY 14TH MARCH, 2016, HIS EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT TOOK THE INITIATIVE IN INVITING OFFICIALS OF THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, THE FOURAH BAY COLLEGE ADMINISTRATION, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STUDENTS BODY OF FOURAH BAY COLLEGE AND THE NATIONAL UNION OF SIERRA LEONE STUDENTS (NUSS) TO A MEETING WHICH WAS HELD AT STATE HOUSE TODAY 16TH MARCH, 2016 FOR THE PURPOSE OF ADDRESSING THE REAL ISSUES.
FOLLOWING FRANK DISCUSSIONS, AGREEMENT WAS REACHED ON THE FOLLOWING ISSUES:
STUDENT REGISTRATION
(i)STUDENTS WILL BE GRANTED AN EXTENSION OF ONE ADDITIONAL WEEK UP TO 1ST APRIL, 2016 TO COMPLETE THE REGISTRATION PROCESS;
(ii) WHILE GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIZES THE COMPOSITE FEES FOR STUDENTS IN ALL FACULTIES AT FBC RANGING FROM 48% TO 70%, STUDENTS WILL BE GIVEN A CONCESSION TO PAY 50% OF THE RESIDUAL AMOUNT UPON REGISTRATION. THE BALANCE WILL BE SETTLED IN THE SECOND SEMESTER OF THE ACADEMIC YEAR;
(iii) ALL ARREARS OF FEES FOR PREVIOUS ACADEMIC YEARS SHOULD BE PAID IN FULL DURING THE CURRENT REGISTRATION PROCESS;
(iv)LATE REGISTRATION FEES ARE NO LONGER APPLICABLE;
INFRASTRUCTURE AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS
IT WAS NOTED THAT THE BADEA PROJECT FOR THE REHABILITATION AND EXPANSION OF FBC IS ON COURSE AND THAT THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND THE FBC ADMINISTRATION WILL FAST-TRACK THE PROCESS FOR THE COMMENCEMENT OF CIVIL WORKS. THE FBC ADMINISTRATION WILL ALSO UNDERTAKE SOME INTERNAL INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENTS THAT WILL ALLEVIATE THE INCONVENIENCES SUFFERED BY STUDENTS.
STUDENT REPRESENTATION
IT WAS NOTED THAT A PROPOSAL ON RESUMPTION OF STUDENTS GOVERNANCE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF SIERRA LEONE HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE UNIVERSITY SENATE AND WILL BE IMPLEMENTED BY FIRST WEEK OF APRIL, 2016.
HIS EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT ADMONISHED THE FBC ADMINISTRATION AND THE STUDENTS TO STAY ENGAGED AND MAINTAIN OPEN LINES OF COMMUNICATION THAT WILL ENHANCE THEIR RELATIONSHIP.
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STATE HOUSE
FREETOWN 16TH MARCH, 2016
