Health Alert Sierra Leone has established a new private academic institution, the College for Human Rights Education and Professional Studies (CHREPS), aimed at expanding access to human rights education and professional training in the country.

The organisation’s Executive Director, Victor Lansana Koroma Esq., disclosed this in an interview with journalists at Health Alert’s office on Blackhall Road in Freetown, explaining that the decision followed years of experience in advocacy and capacity-building work.

According to Koroma, Health Alert’s operations over the years revealed the need for a separate and specialised structure to handle education-focused programmes, distinct from the organisation’s core operational framework.

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“Health Alert has taught us many lessons that allowed us to expand into education, but promoting education effectively requires a different system,” Koroma said, noting that the new institution was created specifically to build the capacity of individuals seeking professional training.

He said the institution, formally named the College for Human Rights Education and Professional Studies and abbreviated as CHREPS, was established in 2025 and is fully registered in Sierra Leone.

Koroma explained that CHREPS has completed all required registration processes, including registration with the Office of the Administrator and Registrar General, Corporate Affairs authorities, and the National Revenue Authority, from which it has obtained a Tax Identification Number.

He further disclosed that the college has received pre-accreditation approval from the National Council for Technical, Vocational and Other Academic Awards (NCTVA), covering the period from January to December 2026, allowing it to commence academic operations and admit students.

According to him, the institution is also pursuing academic partnerships, including an affiliation process with Wisconsin University in Ghana, which is expected to commence after full accreditation.

On academic focus, Koroma said CHREPS will concentrate primarily on human rights education, while also offering professional programmes in governance and democracy, human resource management, policy and legal research, international relations, health administration and governance, monitoring and evaluation, occupational health and safety management, cybersecurity and law, climate change adaptation, information technology, peace and conflict studies, journalism, and health advocacy and reporting.

He noted that programmes will be offered at certificate, diploma, and Higher National Diploma levels, in line with statutory requirements, and that the curriculum has been designed to provide practical, work-ready skills relevant to the NGO, development, and United Nations job markets.

Koroma added that the institution has engaged qualified faculty from Sierra Leone and the wider sub-region to deliver the programmes.

On affordability, he said fees have been deliberately reduced to improve access, with certificate programmes costing Le 3,500 per year and diploma programmes Le 4,500 for two years, while debut students will benefit from a 50 percent discount.

He further disclosed that the college will provide free tutorial support for students who lack required O-Level subjects, enabling them to improve subjects such as English Language, Mathematics, and Biology during their period of study.

According to Koroma, CHREPS will operate a flexible class schedule to accommodate working students, with evening classes from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on selected weekdays and additional sessions on Saturdays.

Koroma described CHREPS as the first institution in Sierra Leone established specifically to focus on human rights education at this scale, noting that the initiative is intended to address existing gaps in professional training and capacity development.