NJALA University Research Repository
Njala University (or simply Njala, as it is fondly called) has had a rich history since its establishment in 1964 as a university college
- Njala University operates under the Universities Act of 2021. The University Statutes, Ordinances and Regulations are drawn from this enabling legislation
- The highest University authority and its governing body is the University Court. Senate is the highest academic body in the University. The Chancellor of the University serves as Chairman of Court.
- The executive and day-to-day management of the university is the responsibility of the University Secretariat headed by the Vice-Chancellor and Principal and which includes the Registrar, the Finance Director, the Director of Physical and Plant Services, the Director of Planning, the Director of Information & Communication, the Director of Research and Development, the Procurement Officer and the Internal Auditor.
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Njala University comprises 8 academic units called Schools/Faculties:
Academic Units
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences
- School of Education
- School of Basic Education
- These are just to name a few
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Recent Submissions
The safety of water supplied at Njala University, Njala Campus
(Scientific Research Publishing, 2017-02-08) Mansaray, Abubakarr S.; Borsuah, Josehpus F.; Gogra, Alhaji B.; Fofana, Binty P.
The safety of water is usually determined by comparing its quality to recommended standards. The objective of this work was to determine whether the water supplied on Njala Campus is safe for drinking. The quality parameters investigated include coliform bacteria, turbidity, conductivity, total dissolved solids and nitrates. Samples were stored in a cooler with ice and transported to the laboratory within 30 minutes of collection. A checklist of questions to know the perception of residents was administered. According to the physical and biological results, the water is not safe for consumption. The turbidity and microbial counts were too high in most samples both in the wet and dry seasons. Additionally, over 80% of the respondents did not trust the water supply system. Most of them treat the supplied water by either boiling or disinfection before use. Most respondents complained of water-borne diseases but were not clear whether it is related to the water supplied. The chemical parameters, however, were acceptable: nitrate levels were low. In conclusion, the water is not safe for consumption as far as the physical and biological parameters are concerned. The campus water supply system needs improvement in terms of conveying raw and finished water, filter optimization, and satisfying the chlorine demand.
Book of Abstracts
(Njala University Society for Academic Advancement, 2016) NUSAA
Building research capacity is about creating enabling settings for conducting and communicating research effectively and in a timely manner. In 2014, the Njala University Society for Academic Advancement (NUSAA) held its first research conference, which allowed scholars from institutions across the country to share research and innovative papers and posters in various fields of study. The event took place in Auditorium and Faculty Building at Njala University in Sierra Leone This initiative fosters human capacity development and, therefore, has been sustained through annual NUSAA research conferences. Future events would take place in other towns and cities. The outbreak of the Ebola virus in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone prevented a second annual research conference in 2015.
Professor Monte Jones (now Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security) gave the keynote address in the opening ceremony of the first conference on the topic, Food Security: A Pre-requisite for Sustainable Development – An African Perspective. Prof. Jones said that, “Africa is on the rise . . . because this generation of Africans has decided on commencing an African renaissance dedicated to democracy, good governance and greater economic opportunities.” NUSAA recognizes Africa’s potential to rise and we believe this could be accomplished by strengthening the research capacity of individuals, institutions and societies. Our goal is to provide the enabling environment for scholars to individually and collectively develop their abilities to perform research and communicate their findings effectively, efficiently and sustainably.
NUSAA organized the second Annual Research Conference on the 3rd–5th May 2016 at Njala University. Professor Osman Sankoh, the Executive Director of INDEPTH NETWORK in Ghana, gave the keynote address. Professor Sankoh laid emphasis on collaboration and synergy through which more can be achieved with greater impact as people work together toward achieving joint and shared goals. The conference theme was, “Building Resilience through Research” and papers were presented in Agriculture, Education, Health and Nutrition, Humanities, Language and Cultural Studies, Natural Resources and Postharvest Technology.
NUSAA will provide additional opportunities for scholars to effectively communicate their research through a variety of other platforms. Plans are underway and soon we will establish a peer reviewed journal with online and hardcopy publications. Training workshops would be organized aimed at helping young researchers understand how to achieve the highest quality for each mode of scientific communication. Research is meant to inform action and, therefore, NUSAA will always ensure standards in producing knowledge, improving practice and informing policy debate.
Scientific Animations Without Borders and Njala University
(The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, 2015) Songu, Thomas, Bello-Bravo, Julia, Barry Robert Pittendrigh
Scientific Animations Without Borders (SAWBO) is a University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Illinois) based program that was launched in 2011. Created and co-managed by Julia Bello-Bravo and Barry Pittendrigh, SAWBO is part of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the Center for African Studies on the Illinois campus. It promotes agricultural, health, and women’s empowerment knowledge for people of all literacy levels and linguistic backgrounds throughout the world. This Brief describes the work of SAWBO and provides a specific case study for their work with Njala University in Sierra Leone
Viral Education via Mobile Phone: Virtual International Networks and Ebola Prevention in Sierra Leone
(Health Information Systems and the Advancement of Medical Practice in Developing Countries, 2017) Julia Bello-Bravo
This chapter documents a strategy for the development and deployment of educational content on Ebola prevention and treatment targeted at low-literate learners speaking diverse languages. During the outbreak of Ebola in Sierra Leone, Njala University partnered with Scientific Animations Without Borders (SAWBO) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to create educational animations on Ebola. Drawing on an international network of collaborators, these animations were then placed into multiple languages for Sierra Leone. Njala University in turn acted as the central hub for engaging local partner groups to deploy this content throughout Sierra Leone. This chapter describes the development process, which occurred during the outbreaks and the ICT tools now available to the global health community. The educational animations created during the 2014 Ebola outbreak are now available in multiple languages for Sierra Leone, as well as other West African countries, along with a highly scalable deployment pathway that can be rapidly operationalized during future outbreaks or modeled for other outbreak or health crisis situations.
Delivering Higher Education in Public Health Emergencies: Lessons From the COVID-19 Pandemic in Sierra Leone
(International Journal of Information and Communication Technology Education (IJICTE), 2022) Songu, Thomas Philip
With the general closure of universities and schools in Sierra Leone due to the COVID-19 pandemic, digital learning has become a credible alternative to maintain students in educational, training, and research links. The study responds to three primary questions: 1) What digital learning modalities have shown to be most effective for providing continuity in learning amid temporary or permanent school closures? 2) What digital learning modalities are promising for their use but evidence for their use evidence about them is still lacking? 3) What are the challenges and considerations when planning for and implementing digital learning? The study utilised qualitative research methods: interviews; focus group discussions; qualitative survey; and document reviewing. A stratified sample of 260 participants (161 male and 99 female) was randomly drawn from teachers, education officials and information technology experts. This paper provides snapshots of the different distance learning initiatives and program that have been implemented, including both the promises they offer.