Post a comment 
The Vice Chancellor and Principal of the University of Sierra Leone (USL), Professor Aiah Lebbie, has proposed a comprehensive staff headcount across the institution’s constituent colleges as part of efforts to address growing financial pressures and improve institutional efficiency.
The proposed exercise comes amid concerns over the presence of academic staff on the university’s payroll who are reportedly absent from active teaching duties. University sources indicate that some lecturers are currently outside the country, while others are alleged to be underperforming or not fully carrying out their academic responsibilities.
The planned headcount is expected to verify the number of active academic personnel within the University of Sierra Leone’s constituent colleges, including Fourah Bay College, the Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM), and the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences.
According to information available, the exercise is intended to reconcile staff records with payroll data and determine the actual number of lecturers actively engaged in teaching, research, and other academic responsibilities.
The initiative is also viewed as part of broader efforts to strengthen financial management within the university system amid increasing operational costs and limited resources.
Concerns regarding inactive staff and alleged “ghost workers” have persisted within the institution for several years, with some stakeholders arguing that such practices place unnecessary pressure on the university’s finances and negatively affect the quality of teaching and learning.
Professor Lebbie, who assumed office as Vice Chancellor and Principal in 2024, has prioritised reforms aimed at improving governance, accountability, and operational efficiency within the university.
Education stakeholders have expressed differing opinions on the proposed exercise. While some have welcomed the move as an important measure to promote accountability and prudent use of public resources, others have urged the university administration to ensure that legitimate staff members on approved study leave, research assignments, or official duties abroad are not unfairly affected.
If implemented, the headcount exercise is expected to provide the university administration with accurate information on staff deployment and help inform future decisions relating to personnel management, resource allocation, and institutional planning.
The University of Sierra Leone remains one of the country’s leading higher education institutions, and the proposed staff verification exercise forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen governance and improve the overall quality of academic service delivery.
