The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has pledged support for Sierra Leone’s efforts to establish a transparent, efficient and technology-driven Centralised Admissions System (CAS) for tertiary institutions.
The commitment was made during a high-level stakeholder engagement organised by Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Technical and Higher Education in Freetown as part of ongoing reforms aimed at overhauling the country’s higher education admissions process.
According to JAMB’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr Fabian Benjamin, the engagement followed a recent visit by a Sierra Leonean delegation led by Deputy Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Sarjoh Aziz-Kamara, to Nigeria. During the visit, the delegation observed Nigeria’s centralised admissions model at JAMB’s Annual Policy Meeting.
Following the visit, Nigeria’s Minister of Education approved a technical mission by JAMB to Sierra Leone to share its experiences and provide guidance on implementing a similar system.
Speaking at the event, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Dr Haja Ramatulai Wurie, revealed that the proposed Centralised Admissions System had already secured Cabinet approval and is backed by the country’s Universities Act of 2021.
She explained that the reform seeks to address challenges associated with the current decentralised admissions process by creating a unified digital platform for universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.
Dr Wurie noted that the initiative is being implemented in collaboration with several key institutions, including the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC), the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA), the National Telecommunications Authority (NATCA), the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, and technology partners.
While acknowledging Nigeria’s support, the minister stressed that Sierra Leone intends to adapt global best practices to suit its unique educational landscape rather than replicate any country’s model wholesale.
She also expressed gratitude to Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, for facilitating the collaboration and supporting the reform process.
A major highlight of the engagement was JAMB’s presentation of a framework for developing a national digital admissions architecture designed to improve transparency, eliminate duplication, enhance data integrity and strengthen educational planning across Sierra Leone’s tertiary education sector.
Education stakeholders believe the proposed system will modernise admissions processes, improve accountability and provide more reliable data for policy formulation and institutional planning.
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