By Kemo Cham
The SWAKAB Polytechnic of Health Science and Management on Saturday, January 10th convened its third graduation ceremony, certificating 28 graduates for completion of courses in public health.
The event held in the multipurpose conference hall of the recently acquired SWAKAB Teaching Hospital in Farna, Devil Hole in the Western Area Rural District, also saw 60 new students matriculated.
SWAKAB Polytechnic is one of many outfits of the parent body, SWAKAB, which is a non-Profit that advocates for and provides affordable healthcare services and educational opportunities for vulnerable people and communities. First established as a healthcare provider, SWAKAB later incorporated an educational component into its operations with the establishment of the SWAKAB College of Health Science and Management. The school, which is located at Kabba Drive in Devil Hole, was just recently upgraded into a Polytechnic after passing various assessments of the relevant regulatory bodies – the National Council for Technical and Vocational Education (NCTVE) and the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC).
Saturday’s event was the first graduation since the institution was conferred with a polytechnic status. The graduands were awarded National Diplomas in Public health and reproductive health. They comprise three classes: 2023, 2024 and 2025.
Marian Isata Swaray, the Founder of SWAKAB, in a statement in the packed hall heaped praises on parents for making it possible for the event to occur. She also called on the graduands to serve as “good ambassadors” of SWAKAB.
Dr Mohamed Hassan Kargbo, Rector and Co-Founder of SWAKAB Polytechnic Health Science and Management, said the event marked a landmark for the institution.
“It means a lot to me, SWAKAB as a whole and to the country,” he said in an interview with ManoReporters.
Besides public and reproductive health, SWAKAB provides tuition in various other courses, including banking and finance, information and communication technology, human resource management, procurement and logistics, and laboratory technology.
“We are giving the best to our students for them to fit in the job market,” said Dr Kargbo, urging the graduands to make the best use of the knowledge gained within the last few years of their educational journey.
The High Tabel at the 3rd graduation ceremony of SWAKAB on Saturday, January 10th, 2025. Image, Kemo Cham, ManoReporters.
The ceremony was graced by high profile dignitaries, including community leaders and members of the Board of SWAKAB.
Dr Max Massaquoi, Board Chairman of the SWAKAB Polytechnic of Health Science and Management, gave the keynote address, in which he called on the graduands to espouse discipline and respect for others, as they head out into the world of uncertainties.
“If you want to contribute to sustainable development in our nation, education, quality education, is the best option,” he said, while addressing parents.
Acquisition of a certificate, he added, is just the beginning of their ongoing journey in life, noting that it takes more than just acquiring information to succeed.
Dr Massaquoi also had a word for the new matriculants, while speaking on the importance of discipline to realise one’s goal.
“Take your course seriously because this is the only investment in you your parents make, from which you alone benefit,” he said, adding: “What you study here is for yourself.”
And for the parents, the veteran educationist said education is the greatest investments any parents can make in their children, stressing the need to support the children’s pursuit for knowledge.
The SWAKAB management gave special tribute to politician and philanthropist Mohamed Momodou Kamara, popularly known as Jagaban, for his financial support to the institution. According to Ms Swaray, overwhelming majority of the graduands and all the new intakes were provided full scholarship by Jagaban.
A representative of Jagaban, in a statement delivered on behalf of the politician who is seeking the presidential ticket of the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) in the 2028 general elections, said he was capable and willing to do anything towards the development of Sierra Leone and appealed for prayers and support for his political ambition.
Foday M. Kamara, Dispatch Officer at NCTVE, praised SWAKAB for its contribution to the promotion of Technical and Vocational Education (TVET) in Sierra Leone.
“At the NCTVE, our core mandate has to do with accreditation, validation, examination and certification,” he said, adding: “I just want to encourage the community and the stakeholders here that this institution – SWAKAB Polytechnic of Health Science and Management – is not a ‘Dominion College.’ It has full accreditation from the NCTVE and the Tertiary Education Commission. It is nationally recognized, so you don’t have to be afraid to send your children to this great institution.”
Mr Kamara stressed that TVET plays a pivotal role in the lives of a society as it prepares students to be self-reliant, rather than just employees.
“That is the beauty of TVET. What SWAKA College is doing here is not different from what is happening in Africa and other parts of the world. What is the focus now is skills acquisition,” he said.
Isatu Daphne Thamu, a community stakeholder and board member of SWAKAB, praised the efforts of its Founder, Ms Swaray for her dedication to take the institution to where it is today, even in the face of endless obstacles.
“It wasn’t easy. She met all sorts of challenges. She faced hell or earth,” Ms Thamu said. “This institution makes us feel proud every day.”
Headman of the host Community, Mohamed Borbor Bah, also praised Ms Swaray for her dedication despite the challenges she faced in establishing the institution.
“Because she is someone with passion for the people and the community, she didn’t relent,” he said.
The event climaxed with the conferment of awards on several individuals, honouring their dedication and contribution to SWAKAB and society in general.
