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The Deputy Vice Chancellor of Fourah Bay College (FBC), Professor Andrew Baio, convened a high-level meeting with Deans of various faculties on Wednesday to lay the groundwork for an upcoming strategic retreat and discuss key operational and academic policy reforms.
The meeting, held at the DVC Conference Room, focused on harmonizing institutional procedures and reshaping academic programmes to align more closely with national development priorities. Professor Baio said the engagement forms part of a broader reform agenda he has pursued since assuming office in October 2025.
“Since I assumed office in October 2025, I had my first meeting with the staff and senior management of FBC, informing them about my agenda,” Professor Baio said, noting that early consultations highlighted the need for standardized guidelines across academic and administrative areas.
He identified several areas requiring urgent policy direction, including admission criteria for diploma and degree programmes, student promotion requirements, and the harmonization of student housing policies to ensure fairness, consistency, and effectiveness.
A central focus of the discussions was a directive from the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education calling for a review of academic offerings across tertiary institutions. Professor Baio emphasized that the college must introduce new programmes while also consolidating or removing modules that do not align with national needs or entrepreneurship development.
He also stressed the importance of reviewing the entire education value chain-from curriculum design to delivery and assessment-to ensure relevance and impact. “Evaluation methods should focus on problem-solving approaches and scenario-based learning rather than urging students to memorise notebooks,” he said.
Professor Baio further advocated for stronger integration of practical skills, entrepreneurship, mentorship, and fieldwork into academic programmes. He encouraged broad stakeholder engagement, involving industry players, academics, and policymakers, in curriculum development.
The meeting served as a preparatory session for a strategic retreat scheduled to take place in Bo from 9 to 11 April 2026. During the discussions, Deans proposed reviving matriculation examinations for selected high-demand programmes, including Pure and Applied Sciences, Engineering, and Architecture.
In response, Professor Baio highlighted the importance of open consultation and flexible admission processes, noting that the retreat would provide a structured platform for in-depth deliberations on all key proposals. He also disclosed that the University Registry and the Tertiary Education Commission have been invited to ensure alignment with national standards and best practices within the University of Sierra Leone system.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor outlined plans to decentralize examination processes to strengthen efficiency and accountability across faculties. He said the retreat would equip faculties with the human and technical capacity to manage examinations independently.
A key outcome of the reform process will be the introduction of a harmonized grading sheet and standardized spreadsheet system for collating and analyzing student results. “All matters of grades should be addressed by faculties and not the exam office,” Professor Baio said, noting that this approach would resolve challenges such as missing grades, incomplete records, and delays in capturing reference marks.
Professor Baio concluded the meeting by tasking Deans to engage their respective faculties and prepare comprehensive departmental inputs ahead of the upcoming planning committee sessions for the retreat.
