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A concerned citizen has raised alarms over the recent results from the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (COMAHS), claiming that the institution’s administration is failing students at an alarming rate.
The citizen described the situation as “heart-rendering,” shedding light on the challenging academic environment many students are currently facing.
According to the reported statistics for Premed 2, only 57 students managed to pass, while 28 were referred, and 30 were slated to repeat the year. Shockingly, 259 students were withdrawn from the program, with 33 students recorded as absent. The statistics indicate a significant number of students who were unable to continue their studies.
Premed 1 results paint an equally grim picture. Out of the cohort, 157 students passed, but an astounding 607 students were withdrawn. Additionally, 47 students were marked as absent, adding to the dismal situation.
The magnitude of the failure rate has sparked widespread concern among stakeholders, with many calling for an investigation into the root causes of the academic challenges faced by students. The withdrawal of such a significant portion of the student body raises questions about the institution’s academic standards, support systems, and examination processes.
The concerned citizen emphasized that the current state of affairs not only jeopardizes the future of the students but also casts a shadow over the institution’s reputation. They have called on relevant authorities and educational bodies to intervene, urging reforms that would address the challenges and improve the academic success rates of students at COMAHS.
Some of the students are even trying more hearder but they selecte specific number to pass inorder to bring New student for the money.
This is disgusting, the government have to do something about it
To be a doctor is very grueling cuz folk’s lives are at stake. I dont want COMAHS to lower their standards. It takes a special person to be a doctor.
The system needs reforms. In some jurisdictions the lecturers and professors are held accountable.. When a student fails it is the teacher that has not done his/her part properly
I don’t think if there is any other intervention rather than helping the students to get themselves well prepared for examination, it’s high time we begin to abolish this idea of calling on authorities to intervening in students massive failure, this is exactly what has encouraged exam malpractice among students in all Sierra Leonean public exams. People don’t now days they rather rely on the intervention of authorities to get academic excellence. COMHAS should not be the type of institution that has to tamper with academic integrity. Thanks.
I think it all started from high school.
I think it all started from high school 🏫
This is the result of massive examination malpractice during the Wassce exams
I’m in the same area with acclaimed premed 2 student at COMAHS during their exams weeks him and his friends were just around singing and dancing throughout the night so as for me I am not surprise about the outcome of these results.
It’s heart rendering for the parents but students should know the kind of courses they should be doing with this free WASSCE results that they are roaming the streets with
And most of these students are having A’s and B’ in wassce after spying a lot. The problem comes from waec. Because COMAHS will accept students with good unit in wassce. No need to blame COMAHS about this issue.
It is heart rendering and I will also add my voice for the authorities to intervein.
They are more concerned with money rather than the future of the students. Let anti corruption, parliament seriously look into this matter.
This issues of massive failure at the college of medicine and allied health science has been too much. But I kindly encourage all those that would be fortunate to meet the University requirement to study very hard.
So they would be able to meet the requirements of the questions during the course of their exam at the University to avoid massive failure.
But it really frustrating to see young sierra Leonean with high dreams to fail in such a way.
It’s disheartening that some individuals are blaming the college for this failure, overlooking the crucial role COMAHS plays in training healthcare professionals whose lives are entrusted with patient care.
Why calling on authorities, many students passed gets their wassce through malpractice. COMAHS is not a safe place for lazy students
The bitter truth is, our educational standards have fallen into doldrums and these are some the ripple effects we are facing. You cannot fix or inflate grades for students. As someone reflected in one of the posts you cannot have a substandard education to be a medical professional as people’s lives will be entrusted in your care, you wonder why we are experiencing so many unavoidable deaths in Sierra Leone. We need to go back to the drawing boards and prepare our pupils with strong background preparation in order for them succeed in tertiary education.
Can we please forget about the idea of intervention by authorities, what has that got to do with academic performance? I may like to draw your attention to the WASSCE exams in this country, most often students that have been an Arts or commercial students for which they have basic foundation on might decide to change the subjects area during the entering process for the the said exam to science subjects. This is with the idea of being a medical Doctor or Nurse. Hence they have to use phone during the exam or trace their results. By so doing they must have requirements for university entrance. You get that.
There is no magic for passing exams.
I got my first degree from Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone. We used to be properly grilled before progressing to another year. There was no government intervention. My advice to students of COMAS and all other institutions is to burn the midnight candle. Prepare well for your exams and you will not require government intervention to progress to another year.
Check their individual WASSCE reports card/grades.
Am recommending the CoMAHS body to be conducting entrance exams for all New intakes to avoid such embarrassment and massive failure
A lot of people just think that the job of us the students is to study very hard and pass. Think about our learning standards. Their are students that put their efforts into studying very hard but the problem with our educational system is that we are not thought in a way that will enable students to think beyond and solve problems, yet when exams are drawn we are given problems that will require critical thinking and applications.
Sincerely most lecturers themselves don’t understand what they are teaching.
Look, academic authorities put more efforts to ensuring students fail or not succeed rather than creating an enabling environment for students to thrive. The academic culture of deliberate pull Down syndrome amongst authorities is frightening, they have no iota of care for the students and the financial burden placed on the parents.
Indeed, the students are not serious this days, wassce a problem
Am a student from comhas the problem is that the college do not have space to accommodate lots of students that’s why every year there’s a massive failure. Some students worked very hard to pass but at the end the failed 😭
I have read through all the posts, my people the crust of the issue is with the WASSCE. Let the universities set standards right and straight – all students must sit to an entrance exam before proceeding to study any course. This will separate wheat from the chaff.
I agree with this person that says COMAHS failed students woefully for the money for the new intakes , that is just one reason and the other is the challenges the students are facing in the campus 1, lectures will not go to lecture on time they will go to class only when the lecturing period is left one hour or 30 Minutes that is the time they will come when the lecturing period is stipulated for two hours per model. 2, some lecturers the students will only get to see them for lectures at the end of the semester and only lecture for one or two times, sole pamphlets which they will not cover for, give assignments for the money, asked for extra classes when the lecturer will failed to lecture the students in class but av the time for extra classes just for the money and if a student failed to adhere to there demands that student will have to suffer through his/her grades and the next week is exams. How can you expect the students to be able to read well with all those pamphlets which 4 to 5 lectures sold per each model at a shortest given time and there are other models for the students to cover as well. Is that student a magician? Where do you think the students will get all that money if not to go out to look for money In diverse ways and instead of the students sit at home studying that the same time the students will use to go out to get the money . The problems students are facing in those campuses are so many let the investigation take place the students will speak up this time
All the comments are in place, but has for me, I want a trust authorities to seriously investigate COMASH. After the investigation we should know where the fault lies.
It’s funny how people are saying that the problems stems from WASSCE are blatantly ignoring the complaints of the students that are affected. First of all the wassce result has nothing to do with this as the students were screened before being accepted. During the interview basic high school questions are asked to ensure that the student is smart enough to enter the university. Personally i was asked five questions during the interview (one maths problem, one chemistry, physics and two biology questions). This basically sums up as a quick entrance exam. So i hope you understand that they do screen the students before accepting them. It is their choice to choose to accept so much student that at the end of the academic year they have to withdraw most of them.
Also there have been a few times when the questions being asked in an exam has not been taught but is expected to be answered as it is a general part of the topic. It’s unfair because there is a lot of subjects to study with many slides and you can’t expect a student be stuck on just your subject trying to get to the bottom of the topic you as a lecturer way supposed to lecture. Just because it’s a college does not mean we have to do all the work. A simple “these are the topics that questions will be drawn from” does not mean you are giving the students leakage. Some lecturers even intentionally mislead the students by saying that a particular topic will not come but it comes in the exam. Imagine the stress the student has to go through because of that.
Most you’ll are talking about the malpractice that takes place during WASSCE,saying stuff like the students aren’t serious,I’m not totally disregarding that,but think of it…13.8% passed does that sit well with you???and if a student is really determined don’t you think they studied well…considering their fees to be very expensive and they have a dream to pursue?
Again consider the continuing students who were withdrawn from the course…. they were also unserious,even though they’ve been in the system for a year….its not adding up.From what I understand continous assessment goes for 30% and the Promotional exams goes for 70% if a student gets over 15% there’s a high change they’ll pass the exams because to be promotedyou have to have an average of 50 % per suject and a total of 55 .Also they should make the system transparent by publishing their Examination grades before transcripts are given…most of you don’t understand the system…and even the lecturers have a role to play…we’ll leave that for another day.
“I agree with some of the comments, but I don’t agree with the one that said COMAHS sells pamphlets to students. That’s a total lie. Since I entered COMAHS, the lecturers have never given assignments and pamphlets in exchange for money.”
Thank you!
Casting of blame on COMAHS, for such massive failure warrant thorough investigation, on the other hand the West Africa Examination Coucil (WAEC) should be brought to book for exams malpractices in public exams nowadays. There is widespread corrupt practices at the Council, leakages of question papers before exams are taken is very common in today’s WAEC practices and lastly the GoSL Ministry of Education for putting in place stringent measures in monitoring public exams conduct right from preparation exams question papers, storage, and distribution process using all relevant stakeholders including security sector institutions. Bulk of the poor performance of students emanated from the very institution that set the stage for public exams. Personally, I have little trust on WAEC. Let’s all joints together to improve the education sector for the good of our nation
College of medicine (USL) and Njala University are no nonsense areas.
A medical school is meant to train people that would handle life,therefore should be a place of no compromise because one mistake would lead to a death of a person.
Let them go somewhere else,that place is not meant for them.
If even they can failed they whole class,as long as it is not on any biasness,then that is right.
The socalled WASSCE result that they got through exam malpractice is the reason they are failing.
They deserves it.
Nonsense
Am really happy for the University administration for a remarkable job done. Be rest assured this is a step in the right direction. Let’s maintain standards in the educational system. This is just a tip of an iceberg. Results of our hardwork are now coming out; examination malpractice. The Ministry of tertiary education, our political leaders and other actors should not even dare condemn what the University has done. Other Universities should learn from COMAS. This sector is a critical one with regards the life and health of the people of this country and beyond; students should therefore be thoroughly scrutinised to maintain the quality of healthcare service providers we want to see. We are tired of what we see when we work with HCWs. Let the right things be done. We are with you on this.