The Ministry of Technical and Higher Education (MTHE) has hosted experts from Nigeria’s Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), as Sierra Leone advances plans to establish a centralized admissions system for universities and technical institutions.
The engagement focused on knowledge-sharing, technical guidance, and implementation planning for the reform, which aims to modernize and streamline tertiary admissions.
Welcoming the delegation, Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Dr. Haja Ramatulai Wurie, said the government is working to modernize and streamline admissions through the creation of a Centralized Admissions Secretariat, noting that legal provisions for such a system already exist within the Universities Act of 2021 and that Cabinet has approved its implementation.
According to the Minister, the reform is intended to address long-standing challenges, including delayed admissions, fragmented application processes, and the late release of examination results, all of which frequently disrupt the academic calendar.
At present, individual universities manage their own admissions, a system she described as historically chaotic, particularly in highly competitive programmes such as medicine.
“We want a one-stop shop where students apply once, and the system works with universities and technical institutes to ensure a seamless process,” she said.
Under the proposed model, students would apply through a centralized digital platform managed by the Ministry in collaboration with universities and government technical institutes.
The Minister disclosed that the Ministry of Finance has approved the recruitment of staff to operationalize the Secretariat.
Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, explained that Nigeria’s centralized admissions system, established in 1978, was designed to eliminate duplication, improve transparency, and coordinate placements nationwide.
He stressed that strong institutional partnership is essential. Universities, he said, must retain authority over admissions criteria, quotas, and programme requirements, noting that centralized systems function best when institutions remain actively involved in candidate selection.
Prof. Oloyede added that Nigeria’s model integrates candidate choice, institutional capacity (quota), and national standards through a digital Central Admissions Processing System that tracks decisions for accountability. He also pointed to the scale of Nigeria’s operations, which process more than two million applicants each year.
MTHE’s Chief Technical and Higher Education Officer, Dr. Josephus Brimah, traced Sierra Leone’s reform agenda to the establishment of MTHE in 2018, following the separation of higher education oversight from the former Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. He said the centralized admissions concept was subsequently embedded in legislation, including the 2021 Universities Act, to strengthen coordination across public and private institutions.
Funding arrangements for the new system also featured prominently in discussions. Officials acknowledged that universities presently generate revenue through individual application fees, income that could be affected under a centralized model.
Government is therefore exploring a revenue-sharing framework in which institutions would receive application fee equivalents for admitted candidates, while surplus funds would support the Secretariat’s operations. Authorities say the aim is to ensure financial sustainability without adding pressure to public finances.
MTHE Permanent Secretary, Mohamed Sheick Kargbo, stressed the importance of building a system that fits Sierra Leone’s governance structure and education realities, instead of outrightly replicating foreign models.
He noted that while policymakers are studying several international frameworks, the plan is to develop a hybrid model shaped by national priorities, including equity considerations for underserved regions
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