In continuation of the Principal’s Breakfast Program, Madam Patricia Wright Esq. Barrister and Solicitor, on Friday 29th November 2024, delivered a lecture at the Great Hall of the Milton Margai Technical University (MMTU), Goderich Campus, on the topic: ‘Work Ethics in the context of academia’, at which event she noted that the topic is necessary and hoped that at the end of the lecture, she would create the necessary impact to transform the educational system in Sierra Leone.
She noted the tremendous developments that have taken place at the Goderich Campus of MMTU, and congratulated the institution for attaining a University Status, and observed that there is a decline in quality education in Sierra Leone that was once the Athens of West Africa, and asked the rhetoric questions: “What happened, what went wrong?”
She furthered that there was a time in the country when people preferred the wealthy Bailor Barrie to the highly educated Professor Davidson Nicol, when students were passed in large numbers, regardless of quality, for which the country is now paying a high price, and blamed students, parents and even lecturers for the decline.
According to Madam Patricia Wright, if ethics had been maintained in the educational system, it would not have declined so low. She defined ethics as the right and wrong of well-founded standards of what people ought to do, rights, obligations and responsibilities that benefit society, reiterating that ethics must start at home, that the country needs academic ethics that is essential for any teaching and learning process to fully form and develop, and for the moral purpose of students.
She enlightened that academic institutions should abhor cheating, academic dishonesty, unleashing students who are not fit for purpose and underscored that academic ethics helps to make scholarly work, promote integrity, create a positive learning environment, and urged all to approach their work with positivity, imbibe a good character, honesty, be loyal, reliable, be initiative, self-disciplined, punctual and regular, in addition to lecturers not condoning examination malpractices.
She also urged students and lecturers to avoid plagiarism, be dedicated and committed, uphold strong moral principles and continuous professional development, be patriotic and uncompromising, impart knowledge and discipline in their students for them to be educated with integrity, all of which would make Sierra Leone rise again.
The Guest Speaker also revealed that students and lecturers must attend classes regularly, communicate well, have teamwork, maintain a high standard of dress code and appearance, hygiene, good manners, be productive, transparent and accountable and be professional, highlighting that the country has a plethora of bad behaviors like lowering of the requirements for university entrance, sex for grades, examination leakages, selling and changing of grades, currying favors, victimizing and harassing students on political and tribalism basis.
In his welcome statement, the Vice Chancellor and Principal of MMTU, Dr. Philip John Kanu, asserted that the Guest Speaker is one of the topnotch lawyers in the country, and informed that MMTU comprises of three campuses that are all under rehabilitation, and appealed to all to be attentive as such lectures can help the institution to grow, reiterating that lecturers must do moral things, as they deal with people all the time. He assured the audience of more of such none-academic programs on topical issues of national interest.
Earlier, the Vice Principal of MMTU, Dr. Mohamed Alie Jalloh, said he was humbled and privileged to moderate the program, pointing out that since the appointment of Dr. Philip John Kanu, he has brought in many imaginative programs like the Principal’s Breakfast, to update staff on topical issues not only of academic value, but national interest that has set the institution apart from other traditional ones, reiterating that the institution has gone through a number of such programs, including the Solade Adams Public Lectures.
The MMTU Public Relations Officer, Ms. Elizabeth Sesay, introduced the Guest Speaker, while a student, Santigie Conteh, rendered the vote of thanks.