Africa-Press – Sierra-Leone. Alhaji Sidi Yayah Tunis, the National Publicity Secretary of the All People’s Congress (APC), launched a scathing critique of President Julius Maada Bio’s flagship Free Quality Education (FQE) program.
Tunis argued that, contrary to government claims, education in Sierra Leone is now more financially burdensome than ever for students and their families.
“When the APC was in power, not only were we paying the SLG (Student Loan Grant), but we also covered 75% of tuition fees for all college students,” he stated. “We went further by fully funding 100% of tuition for female students pursuing science courses.”
According to Tunis, the concept of free education did not begin with the current government. He credited the late President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah for initiating the idea and former President Ernest Bai Koroma for implementing significant components of it.
“This government did not invent free education. What they’ve done is mismanage what was already in place,” he said.
He expressed deep concern over the recently introduced Student Loan Scheme, especially in a country with a high youth unemployment rate. Tunis questioned the rationale behind placing students in debt with little to no job prospects upon graduation.
“Visit any university today, and you’ll see the harsh reality students are facing. How do you expect young people to succeed when they graduate into debt with no jobs waiting for them?”
Calling the government’s approach “regressive,” Tunis emphasized that real progress should ease burdens not create new ones.
“If this is what they call progress and being ‘progressive,’ then our nation is headed in the wrong direction,” he concluded.
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