By Saidu Jalloh, Reporter
On Friday, November 29, 2024, Milton Margai Technical University (MMTU) hosted a significant public lecture on work ethics as part of the Principal’s Breakfast Program. The event took place at the Great Hall of the Goderich Campus and featured Madam Patricia Wright, Esq., a distinguished barrister and solicitor. In her address, she highlighted the critical importance of ethical practices in academia and expressed her hope that the lecture would catalyze positive change within Sierra Leone’s educational system.
Madam Wright acknowledged the tremendous developments at the Goderich Campus and congratulated MMTU on achieving university status. However, she also raised concerns about the decline in the quality of education in Sierra Leone, once referred to as the “Athens of West Africa.” She posed poignant questions to the audience: “What happened? What went wrong?” Reflecting on societal values, she noted a troubling trend where wealth was prioritized over education, resulting in a system that promotes students without regard for quality.
She attributed the deterioration of educational standards to a failure to uphold ethical principles, defining ethics as the standards of right and wrong that guide behavior. Madam Wright emphasized that ethics must begin at home and asserted that a commitment to academic ethics is essential for fostering a healthy teaching and learning environment. She urged attendees to consider the moral implications of their actions and to cultivate integrity in their professional lives.
