Quick Facts
Njala University College
A Legacy of Excellence in Higher Education Since 1964
Historical Foundation
Njala University College (now Njala University) was established in 1964. Since then, it has served as a major centre for training middle level agricultural extension workers and teachers at secondary school level.
The Government of Sierra Leone and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) agreed on a contract to assess the needs for Sierra Leone in Agriculture and Education.
University of Sierra Leone Constituent College (1967-2005)
Later in 1967, Njala University College became a constituent college of the University of Sierra Leone which comprised of:
- Fourah Bay College (FBC)
- College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (COMAHS)
- Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM)
- Njala University College
The War Years and Relocation (1991-2005)
Due to the outbreak of the rebel war in 1991, Njala University College was relocated to Freetown in January 1995.
The College operated in Freetown for close to a decade, from 1996-2005, maintaining its educational mission despite the challenging circumstances.
Birth of Njala University (2005)
With the promulgation of the University Act 2005, the college, together with the Bo Teachers College, the School of Hygiene and the Paramedical School in Bo, constituted Njala University as an autonomous body.
Bonthe Technical Training College (BONTECH) became an affiliate tertiary institution.
Current University Structure
University Campuses
Currently, Njala University is comprised of three campuses:
Njala Campus (Main Campus)
Located 125 miles east of Freetown on a generally flat landscape on the banks of River Taia in the Kori Chiefdom of Moyamba District in southern Sierra Leone. It is equidistant (7 miles) between Taiama and Mano, and 36 miles southeast of Bo City.
Bo Campus
Located just outside Bo City in the Towama and Kowama villages.
Bonthe Campus
Located in Bonthe Town, which is situated on Sherbro Island in the Southern Province of Sierra Leone.
Additional Operations: Some programmes are also run on the University's premises at 17, Henry Street in Freetown.
University Secretariat: Houses the offices of the Vice-Chancellor and Principal, the Registrar, and the Finance Director, located on the Njala Campus.
Academic Schools & Programmes
Njala University offers comprehensive academic programmes through the following schools:
School Operational Timeline
August 2005: Six Schools became operational:
Bo Campus: Education, Social Sciences, Community Health Sciences
Njala Campus: Agriculture, Environmental Sciences, Technology
October 2007: The School of Forestry and Horticulture became operational at the Njala Campus.
University Mandate
Njala University was mandated to:
Encourage the advancement of learning and development of educational, economic, social and ethical standards among the people of Sierra Leone;
Endeavour to improve the health and general welfare of the population;
Provide instruction for research and dissemination of research results;
Grant degrees, diplomas and certificates and such other awards as the University may determine.
Academic Programs & Research
These Schools prepare sub-degree, undergraduate and postgraduate students for careers in teaching, agricultural extension and in various specialties in the environmental and community health sciences, and in information technology.
The Schools also conduct basic and applied research and disseminate the results of these researches through the University's extension services. In this way, Njala University applies in a practical manner the product of its knowledge and experiences within the country and beyond.
Partner Institutions
In addition to the two main University campuses, Njala University is host to other institutions:
National Agricultural Training Centre (NATC)
Formally known as the Certificate Training Centre
Founded by: Government of Sierra Leone and the British Government
Purpose: Setup to train agricultural middle-level manpower
Njala Agricultural Research Centre (NARC)
Formally Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR)
Affiliation: A wing of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security (MAFFS)
Research Focus: Carries out research on root and tuber crops and maize