By Alpha Abu
The British High Commissioner to Sierra Leone, Simon Mustard, has told recipients of this year’s Chevening scholarship to use the opportunity of studying in British Universities as platform for the improvement of their careers and for the development of Sierra Leone as a whole.
Mustard, who was speaking at his Hill Station residence during a lunch meeting hosted by the High Commission for the students, on Monday, said they will be attending world class universities after going through a highly competitive and rigorous selection process, noting that he was hopeful that on their return, they would make a difference in society. He said Sierra Leoneans who studied in the United Kingdom (UK) under the Chevening programme have returned home and could now be found in leadership positions in society, including governance and the security sector. He said both the UK and Sierra Leone governments were faced with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, tending to highlight the need for the students to comply with the safety measures instituted by their host government.
The students will be studying in the 2020/2021 academic year.
Four of the five Sierra Leoneans selected for the scholarships attended the lunch, with the other unavoidably absent. All four Chevening students present took time to talk to Politico.
Lydia Bernard Jones, who is to undertake a postgraduate study in International Health and Tropical Medicine at Oxford University, sees herself going to study at Oxford as “a great challenge,” moreso being a prestigious college that she said “has cultivated great minds.”
On what would be her next move upon completing her studies, the 25-year-old woman says: “I will surely return to my country and bring back all the skills and knowledge gained, to help improve the public health sector in Sierra Leone”.
Dominic Bunduka is pursuing an MSc in Energy Engineering and Environmental Management, and he will be hosted by East Anglia University. He said Sierra Leone is yet to boast of an appreciable number of energy experts. He also pointed out that the country is saddled with numerous environmental safety issues that continue to have adverse effects everywhere. Bunduka’s dream, after graduating, is to play an active role in ensuring that Sierra Leone achieves the Sustainable Development Goal 7, which is access to clean, affordable and reliable energy for all.
Practising Lawyer, Samuel Valcarcel, will be studying at Bradford University for his Masters of Laws (LL.M) degree. Looking quite confident, Valcarcel disclosed that he would return home and have himself fully involved in “championing human rights for the sake of development”.
M.Sc. Economics hopeful, Ibrahim Kamara, has got impressive plans for his country after he would have completed studies at the Birmingham University.
“I will want to assist government in the setting up of policies that will stimulate employment and economic growth,” he said. Kamara also has his eyes set on lecturing at Fourah Bay College and embarking on research work.
The fifth Chevening beneficiary, Nadia Assad, will go to Imperial College in London and will be studying Sustainable Energy Futures.
General Secretary for the Chevening Alumni Sierra Leone, Momo Turay, explained to Politico about the benefits of the programme, which he said enriches the recipient and puts them in an advantageous position to solve national development problems. Turay described studying under Chevening as a “double experience” for scholars as they would also be interacting outside of the classroom with professors and policy makers, which he says would broaden their knowledge.
Deputy British High Commissioner, Alistair White, described the scheme as an incredible and life –changing opportunity that would see beneficiaries bring back home the skills they have acquired.
Sierra Leone was first included in the Chevening scholarship scheme in 1983. Since then, 110 Sierra Leoneans have benefitted from it.
Besides the classroom lecture experience, the Chevening scholars also have the opportunity to interact with a wide range of the British society.
Chevening Director, Miranda Thomas, in a statement sent to Politico buttressed on the prospect of integration and its relevance: “We organize an exclusive programme of events and activities, enabling you to experience Britain’s heritage and history, discuss international policy, and interact with thought leaders at a range of academic, cultural and social events”.
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