Anger is mounting at Freetown Polytechnic’s Jui Campus, where students have launched a full-scale boycott of their ongoing exams to protest appalling campus conditions and alleged administrative mismanagement.
The strike began earlier this week, with large groups of students refusing to enter examination halls until their grievances are addressed .
Students have delivered a clear message: they refuse to sit exams while their learning environment remains woefully inadequate. Their list of concerns includes:
• Insufficient classroom furniture: too few chairs and desks seriously hamper the learning experience.
• Frequent power outages and no internet access, undermining basic academic functions.
• Lack of grade visibility, with students yet to receive results for completed courses.
• Financial opacity and poor communication, leading to growing distrust of school authorities.
• Unauthorized land encroachment, as non-educational structures and activities have reportedly taken root on campus grounds .
In a written appeal, the student body formally outlined their grievances and sent it to the Polytechnic Board, with copies dispatched to the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education and the Ministry of Lands. The demand is clear: action, and soon—or exams won’t resume .
The administration has yet to issue a response, leaving the academic calendar—and student futures—in limbo.
Why This Matters
• Academic integrity in jeopardy: Cancellation of exams stalls students’ progress and threatens semester outcomes.
• Governance and infrastructure failures exposed: The protest highlights a stark disconnect between policy frameworks and living conditions.
• Urgency for institutional accountability: With ministries already in the loop, swift action is needed to prevent further unrest.
By Joseph Turay
