The people of Pejeh West Chiefdom, Kailahun District led by their Paramount chief PC Eric Mustapha Ngebeh, have called on the principal and the college administration of the Eastern Polytechnic, Kenema to ensure the commencement of full time programs at the Bunumbu campus.
It could be recalled that the Eastern Polytechnic College in Kenema was established out of the Bunumbu Teachers College during the war when rebels invaded the chiefdom destroying the college structures and forcing students and the college administration to flee.
The college was later moved to Kenema during the early phase of the war where it has today grown into a Polytechnic offering variety of tertiary learning programs.
Presenting a position paper on behalf of the group, an indigene of the Pejeh West Chiefdom, Yankuba Felix Moigua said they were in Kenema to first congratulate the newly appointed Principal of the college, Professor Mohamed Tailu Lahai and to call on him and the college administration to start full time programmes at Bunumbu where he described as the origin of the Eastern polytechnic. He used the opportunity to trace the origin of the college which he said started in 1922 as a central school, in 1933 as a Union college and later transformed to the Bunumbu Teachers College in 1972.
He noted that even though the college’s infrastructure was vandalized by the rebels, its vast area of land remains intact and that the chiefdom is ready to add more land to the existing one if need be. Yankuba Felix Moigua noted that, as chiefdom, they feel frustrated due to the lack of full time learning programmes at the Bunumbu campus. He said the college in Bunumbu is currently running a distance education programme, adding that as a people they want to see the commencement of full time learning programmes.
Responding on behalf of the college administration, the newly appointed Principal of the Eastern Polytechnic, Professor Mohamed Tailu Lahai thanked the Pejeh West delegation for paying him a courtesy call
He said, the Eastern polytechnic is operating three campuses one each in Kenema, Kailahun and Kono adding that he has equal intention to ensure the three campuses are sustained and developed.
The principal said they are working hard to ensure the return of the Bunumbu campus in full gears but according to him this would be possible after the polytechnic shall have attained a university status. He drew to the attention of the people that in spite of their concerns, they should bear in mind that the college buildings including hostels and staff quarters were devastated by the rebels and hastily returning the college in full session is impossible under the circumstances.
Professor Lahai encouraged the delegation to exercise patience and continue to pray for the polytechnic to attain university status. He said that once that is achieved, full time learning can be restored to the Bunumbu campus.
Similar sentiments were expressed by the Registrar and the Head of Exams at the Eastern Polytechnic, Adonis Kanneh and Bockarie Lahai respectively. Presentation of gifts and the traditional dressing of the principal formed the high point of the ceremony.
Tuesday February 09, 2016
ADVERTISEMENT