The 2023/2024 academic year matriculation ceremony of over 5,500 matriculants of the Milton Margai Technical University (MMTU) was held on Saturday 3rd February 2024 at the Peace Amphitheatre of the Goderich campus in Freetown at which ceremony the guest speaker, the First Lady, Dr. Fatima Bio told the matriculants that Sierra Leone is waiting for them after graduation to take up various positions to develop the country.
The theme for the graduation ceremony was ‘Inspirating the next generation of female leaders.’
In her keynote address, the First Lady, Dr. Fatima Bio congratulated the matriculants for pursuing their dreams and professions, that Sierra Leone is waiting for them to advance the country, that they must always attend classes, that the challenge is theirs to follow the footsteps of the great men and women who had graduated from the institution over the years, urged them to change their mindsets as their new status goes with responsibilities and assured them that upon graduation they would become successful people in society.
The First Lady also observed that the academic environment is a free space, noted that girls are disadvantaged since birth, that being a girl is a blessing to both the parents and the country stressing that she wants to change the narrative that women cannot equally perform as men and highlighted government’s priorities as Human Capital Development including the Free Quality Education, addressing Sexual and Gender-Based Violence especially rape, teenage pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, fistula and teenage pregnancy that government has made tremendous efforts to address over the past five years.
Dr. Fatima Bio furthered that government has also actualized the 30% quota appointment for women in governance and the decision-making process, award of automatic scholarships to girls pursing the sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics as well as enactment of the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act, provision of menstrual packages to girls and entreated the matriculants to respect, value and appreciate themselves first, believe in their dreams to make them a reality and to be studious to graduate with flying colors concluding that they must start preparing now for the real world.
Earlier in his welcome statement, the Deputy Vice Chancellor and Director of Studies, Dr. Mohamed Alie Jalloh underscored that the ceremony is a day of joy and pride and a special milestone as new faces and blood are injected into the MMTU family in addition to the fact that the guest speaker and First Lady is a visiting lecturer in the Performing Arts Department at MMTU and also an honorary old student.
He congratulated the matriculants, their parents, sponsors and well-wishers, that it has been a long and arduous journey, that the matriculants are among the thousands who applied to be admitted into the institution and that whatever circumstances that they may face along the academic journey, they must not quit but focus and keep their eyes on the ball which is graduation day.
The Oath Taking ceremony was performed by the Acting Senior Deputy Registrar, Ms. Melissa Kabia while the Formal Pronouncement of Membership of the University was done by the Acting Registrar, Mr. Bockarie Sillah.
In her felicitation statement, the Dean of the Brookfields campus, Ms. Aminata Bangura admonished the matriculants to be focused and dedicated to their studies, that the challenges they face is not only in their academic work but would help shape them into the future endeavors of life.
The Vice Chancellor and Principal of MMTU, Dr. Philip John Kanu revealed that the First Lady has done a lot for the institution citing the chairs she donated to the Great Hall and the beds and other items to the MMTU Health Center as well as her tremendous behind the scene support towards the transformation of the institution to a Technical University and informed that the $20 million renovation work is currently ongoing in all three campuses of the university.
According to Dr. Philip John Kanu, government now pays lecturers on time, severance benefits, the reason there are no longer strikes, underscored that education is the best gift for which he commended government for introducing the free quality education and appealed to the matriculants to prioritize their priorities and not give up by studying hard to excel academically.
Highlights of the ceremony were procession of matriculants led by the Warden of Students, Heads of Departments led by the Marshall, Vice Chancellor and Principal, Deputy Vice Chancellor and Senior Administrative Staff, Sample Signing of the University Register, singing of the University Song, rendering of the vote of thanks by a first-year student while the Master of Ceremony was the MMTU Public Relations Officer, Ms. Elizabeth Sesay.
