Students at Fourah Bay College (FBC), University of Sierra Leone (USL), often feel unable to challenge perceived unfair grading or disrespectful treatment from lecturers. Many students at FBC frequently report a lack of transparent grading criteria, fearing retaliation if they question their marks. This sentiment is prevalent across FBC and other campuses, where students describe toilet facilities as few, poorly ventilated, lacking water, and sometimes locked outside specific hours. Indeed, at Fourah Bay College (FBC), University of Sierra Leone (USL), many students explicitly feel they have no right to question unfair grading or disrespectful treatment from their educators. Fourah Bay College, founded in 1827, holds the distinction of being West Africa’s oldest university.
The Current Crisis in Sierra Leone
Students at Fourah Bay College (FBC) report experiencing physical mishandling by some lecturers. They also speak of overstretched medical facilities, inadequate toilet facilities, poorly administered graduation ceremonies, and dangerous congestion on the roads leading up the hill at Leicester and Model New Road. These challenges paint a stark picture of the daily realities faced by the student body.
Campus medical facilities are frequently reported by students as having extensive queues, limited drug availability, and an insufficient number of qualified nurses on duty. These issues contribute to a sense of neglect regarding student welfare. In addition to these concerns, many students state that some lecturers communicate class notes exclusively through WhatsApp channels and are often absent for weeks without established office hours, leaving students without direct access to academic support or clarification. The lack of consistent, in-person engagement from some teaching staff further exacerbates the challenges students face in their academic pursuits.
FBC students' experiences with long clinic queues and inadequate toilets contrast sharply with peer universities that allocate specific budgets for health staff and daily sanitation services, demonstrating a significant disparity in resource allocation and operational priorities. FBC frequently struggles with administrative challenges and traffic management on Leicester and Model New Road during graduation ceremonies. This is in stark contrast to institutions in Ghana and Cape Town, which are reported to plan their graduation events months in advance, coordinating meticulously with city authorities to ensure smooth and dignified proceedings. The operational shortcomings at FBC, from basic sanitation to major ceremonial events, highlight systemic issues that demand urgent attention.
Lessons from African Peers
The author contrasts his experience in Sierra Leone with his first degree in Ghana, where he reports an enriched stay due to lecturer dedication and functional basic facilities. He attributes this difference to variations in culture and management practices, suggesting that a shift in approach could yield significant improvements in Sierra Leone. This personal account shows the tangible impact of effective university administration and dedicated faculty. Research from the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA) indicates that classrooms where students are hesitant to speak up often result in lower critical-thinking scores and an increased risk of student dropout. This finding directly correlates with the reported fear among FBC students to question their grades or treatment, suggesting a detrimental impact on their academic development and retention.
Studies conducted by the African Higher Education Health Collaborative show that universities equipped with functional campus clinics consistently record higher student retention rates. This empirically supports the need for improved medical facilities at FBC, linking student well-being directly to academic persistence. In 2019, a study by WaterAid on African university campuses identified a direct correlation between inadequate sanitation facilities and higher rates of urinary infections and absenteeism among female students. This key data shows the gendered impact of poor infrastructure and the urgent necessity for improved toilet facilities to ensure equitable access to education. Evidence suggests that when campus clinics are adequately stocked with basic medicines and toilet facilities are maintained with running water, student absenteeism decreases, and lecture attendance rates significantly improve.
The University of Cape Town's (UCT) Ombud office processed 1,240 cases in 2022, with academic appeals and perceived unfair grading being among the primary issues handled. This demonstrates a strong mechanism for addressing student grievances, a stark contrast to the reported lack of such an independent body at FBC. Following student protests in 2017, the University of Nairobi implemented moderated marking for final-year courses. This initiative led to an estimated 40 percent reduction in complaints over a three-year period, showcasing the effectiveness of transparent and fair assessment practices in mitigating student dissatisfaction.
Makerere University schedules a one-week pause in tests each semester for open forums. During these forums, students provide feedback on teaching quality, their treatment by staff, grading processes, and campus facilities. This structured approach fosters open communication and accountability. In contrast, students at Fourah Bay College (FBC) often express their concerns on social media platforms, reportedly due to fear, while Makerere University's 'Voice Week' provides a structured platform with leadership present for direct engagement, allowing for constructive dialogue rather than frustrated online murmurs.
A Blueprint for Change
The author advocates for university leadership at the University of Sierra Leone (USL) and Fourah Bay College (FBC) to adopt successful strategies observed in other African institutions. These recommendations include allocating budgets for clinics and sanitation facilities with the same priority given to laboratories, planning graduation ceremonies with the same rigor as academic examinations, and ensuring lecturer presence with the same enforcement as student attendance. Specifically, the author urges university leadership at USL and FBC to copy successful African solutions from institutions in Cape Town, Nairobi, Accra, and Kampala. Ashesi University in Ghana mandates that every syllabus incorporate a clear grading rubric and grants students the right to review their marked examination scripts within days of results being released, fostering transparency and trust in the grading process.
The University of Pretoria offers concise workshops for new lecturers, focusing on effective and respectful communication regarding student assessments, thereby promoting a more supportive and professional learning environment. In Ghana, the University of Ghana's regulations outline a 10-working-day written review process for grade appeals, providing a clear and timely mechanism for students to challenge their marks. While FBC currently lacks an independent office for dispute resolution, the University of Cape Town operates an independent Ombud office that accepts anonymous complaints and publishes an annual report detailing its activities, serving as a vital safeguard for student rights and institutional accountability.
The author proposes five practical protocols for implementation: first, to publish and educate students and staff on the established appeals process; second, to mandate the use of grading rubrics, allow script viewing, and enforce the physical presence of lecturers; third, to establish an independent student advocate or ombud office; fourth, to deliberately budget for student welfare services; and fifth, to professionalize the planning and execution of graduation ceremonies. These protocols offer a full framework for addressing the multifaceted challenges at FBC. Data from institutions in Cape Town and Ghana indicates that the implementation of clear rubrics and a standardized review process can reduce the number of frivolous appeals, minimize disputes, and ultimately increase the time lecturers can dedicate to teaching, thereby improving academic focus and efficiency.
The Duty to Dignity and Courage
The author calls on students to organize respectfully, use written appeals, and document facts about grading, campus clinics, toilet facilities, lecturer absence, and graduation logistics. They argue that when students ask "why," they are not showing disrespect but are instead becoming scholars, engaging critically with their educational environment. Similarly, the author states that when lecturers respond with rubrics and patience, and administrators allocate budgets for facilities and logistics, they are building authority rather than losing it, fostering a culture of respect and accountability.
The author emphasizes that universities with a long history, such as Fourah Bay College, which has existed for over 180 years, have a duty to model courage, not silence. They also have a responsibility to budget for dignity, extending beyond just physical infrastructure. Respect, the author posits, is not a favor students should have to beg for; rather, it is a fundamental standard that every African university must meet, ensuring that the educational experience is not just about learning, but also about being treated with inherent worth.
