The College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (COMAHS) at the University of Sierra Leone has taken decisive action against academic dishonesty, rusticating six students and terminating the contracts of six lecturers following a major investigation into widespread examination malpractice.
The controversy erupted during the Pre-Admission Examination for the Diploma in Nursing programme on March 10, 2026. After receiving credible reports of irregularities involving more than 800 candidates, university authorities immediately cancelled the exam.
A seven-member investigative committee was swiftly formed to examine the allegations, drawing on detailed reports from the Examinations Officer and invigilators.
In its findings, the committee determined that the scale of the malpractice had severely compromised the integrity of the admission process, weakened academic standards, and damaged public trust in the institution’s commitment to fairness.
Of the 11 lecturers placed under scrutiny, five were exonerated, while six were found to have breached the University of Sierra Leone’s Examination Regulations and Staff Code of Ethics. As a result, their contracts will not be renewed. The six students directly implicated in the irregularities have also been rusticated in accordance with the university’s disciplinary rules.
Bai Kandeh Turay, Communications Officer at COMAHS/USL, confirmed the sanctions in an interview with Truth Media. He noted that he had personally overseen the examination and stressed the institution’s firm stance on the issue.
“The integrity of our assessment processes is non-negotiable,” Turay said. “We will continue to take firm action against anyone who compromises academic standards.”
COMAHS has reaffirmed its zero-tolerance policy toward examination malpractice, underscoring that safeguarding the credibility of its qualifications is essential to its core mission of training competent and ethical healthcare professionals. The University of Sierra Leone has also vowed to roll out stronger preventive measures across all its campuses to avoid similar incidents in the future.
