The Development Learning Centre Act, 2007

Short title. S IGNED this 26th day of July , 2007 ALHAJI AHMAD TEJAN KABBAH, President. No. 17 2007 Sierra Leone The Development Learning Centre Act, 2007. Being an Act to provide for the establishment of the Development Learning Centre to provide cost effective alternative to traditional forms of meetings, conferences and courses enabling managers, professionals and decision-makers in both the public and private sectors, as well as students and researchers to connect with their counterparts and others around the world and for other related matters. [ ] E NACTED by the President and Members of Parliament in this present Parliament assembled. Date of commencement. THE DEVELOPMENT LEARNING CENTRE ACT, 2007 ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS PART I–PRELIMINARY Section

PART II–ESTABLISHMENT OF SIERRA LEONE DEVELOPMENT LEARNING CENTRE

PART III–FUNCTIONS OF CENTRE

PART IV–EMPLOYEES OF CENTRE

PART V–FINANCIAL PROVISIONS

PART VI–MISCELLANEOUS

ACTS Supplement to the Sierra Leone Gazette Extraodinary Vol. CXXXVIII, No. 47 dated 11th September, 2007 PART I–PRELIMINARY 1. In this Act unless the context otherwise requires– “Centre” means the Sierra Leone Development Learning Centre established by section 2; “Chairman” means the Chairman of the Board; “Board” means the Board of Directors established by section 4; “Executive Director” means the Executive Director appointed under section 10; “Minister” means the Minister responsible for finance; “participants” includes managers, professionals and decision-makers in both the public and private sectors as well as students and researchers. PART II–ESTABLISHMENT OF SIERRA LEONE DEVELOPMENT LEARNING CENTRE 2. (1) There is hereby established a body to be known as the Sierra Leone Develepment Learning Centre. (2) The Centre shall be a body corporate having perpetual succession and capable of acquiring, holding and disposing of any property, whether moveable or immovable and of suing and being sued in its corporate name and, subject to this Act, of performing all such acts as bodies corporate may by law perform. 2 3 3. (1) The Centre shall have a common seal the affixing of which shall be authenticated by the signatures of– (a) the Chairman or other member of the Board generally or specifically authorized by the Board for that purpose; and (b) the Executive Director or other officer of the Centre authorized by the Board for that purpose. 4. (1) The governing body of the Centre shall be a Board of Directors which shall, subject to this Act have the control and supervision of the Centre. (2) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), the Board shall be responsible for– (a) approving the business plan of the Centre prepared annually by the Executive Director; (b) assessing the financial statements of the Centre and providing policy guidance aimed at making the Centre financially selfsustaining; (c) determining the grading, remuneration, recruitment, promotion and training of staff of the Centre; (d) creation of departments or sections at the Centre and approval of courses of study to be organized in the departments or sections; (e) approval of the examination for which students in the departments or sections should be entered; and Interpretation. Establishment of Sierra Leone Development Learning Establishment of Board of Directors. Common seal of Centre. (f) determining the requirements of industry or commerce in relation to the number of students to be admitted. (3) The Board shall consist of a Chairman and six other members appointed from the private sector, civil society, academic institutions and the public service and shall be persons with high integrity, extensive knowledge and practical experience in matters relevant to the functions of the Centre. (4) The Chairman and other members of the Board shall be appointed by the President, subject to the approval of Parliament. 5. (1) The Chairman and other members of the Board shall hold office for a term of three years and shall be eligible for reappointment. (2) A member of the Board may resign his office by written notice to the President and may be removed from office by him for inability to discharge the functions of his office, whether arising from infirmity of mind, or body or any other cause or for misconduct. (3) On the death, resignation or removal from or vacation of office of a member of the Board, the President may appoint another person to serve for the unexpired term of that member. (4) A member of the Board shall cease to be such member on any of the following grounds:– (a) inability to perform the functions of his office by reason of infirmity of mind or body; (b) proven misconduct; (c) if he becomes bankrupt or insolvent; (d) if he is convicted of an offence involving fraud or dishonesty; (e) if he fails to attend three consecutive meetings of the Board without reasonable cause; (f) if he resigns his office by written notice to the President. 6. The Chairman and other members of the Board shall be paid such remuneration and allowances as the President may determine and shall be re-imbursed by the Centre for the expenses incurred in the discharge of their functions 7. (1) The Board shall meet for the dispatch of its business at such time and place as the Chairman may determine, but shall meet, at least, every three months. (2) The Chairman shall preside at meetings of the Board at which he is present and in his absence another member elected by the members from their number shall preside. (3) Each member of the Board shall have one vote and where there is an equality of votes, the Chairman or other member presiding shall have a casting vote. (4) The quorum for a meeting of the Board shall be four. (5) Any proposal circulated among all members and agreed to in writing by a majority of the members shall be of the same force or effect as a decision made at a duly constituted meeting of the Tenure of office of members of Board. Remuneration and expenses of members of Board. Meetings of Board. 4 5 Board and shall be incorporated in the minutes of the next succeeding meeting of the Board; but if a member requires that such proposal be placed before a meeting of the Board, this subsection shall not apply to such proposal. (6) The Board may co-opt any person to attend and participate in its deliberations on any matter but such person shall not vote on any matter for decision by the Board. 8. (1) The Board may, for the discharge of its functions appoint a committee to perform such functions as the Board may determine. (2) A committee shall consist of members of the Board or non-members as the Board may determine. PART III–FUNCTIONS OF CENTRE 9. (1) The object for which the Centre is established is to provide cost effective, fast and high impact alternatives to traditional forms of meetings, conferences and educational courses enabling participants to connect with others around the world, in the learning process. (2) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), the Centre shall– (a) provide a medium by which participants conveniently and effectively share knowledge with other persons outside Sierra Leone; (b) assist Government to implement its decentralization and institutional reform policies; (c) market the services it provides and increase its visibility in Sierra Leone and elsewhere; (d) contribute to capacity building in the public service and other areas of the national economy; (e) do all such things that will contribute to the attainment of the object stated in subsection (1). PART IV–EMPLOYEES OF CENTRE 10. (1) The Centre shall have an Executive Director who shall be appointed by the Board on such terms and conditions as the Board may determine. (2) An Executive Director shall be a person of integrity and with considerable knowledge and experience in information technology or management of an educational institution. (3) The Executive Director shall be responsible to the Board for– (a) the day-to-day administration and management of the Centre; (b) preparing for approval by the Board annual business plans and programmes of the Centre, based on a market study identifying the training needs of the public and private sectors of the economy; (c) the formulation and implementation of such operational policies, programmes and plans relating to the functions of the Centre as the Board may approve; (d) determining and providing for the technical needs of the Centre, subject to the directions of the Board; (e) recording and keeping of minutes of meetings of the Board in a book kept for that purpose; (f) supervising and disciplining the teaching and non-teaching employees of the Centre; Committees of Board. Functions of Executive Director. 6 7 (g) arranging for the acquisition by students of industrial or commercial experience during their training; (h) preparing annual estimates of revenue and expenditure of the Centre for the approval of the Board; and (i) performing such other duties as the Board may determine. 11. (1) There shall be appointed by the Board on such terms and conditions as the Board may determine such other teaching and non-teaching employees as the Centre may require for the efficient discharge of its functions. (2) Public officers may be seconded or otherwise give assistance to the Centre. (3) The Centre may engage the services of such consultants and advisers as it considers necessary for the efficient discharge of its functions. PART V–FINANCIAL PROVISIONS 12. (1) The activities of the Centre shall be financed by a fund consisting of :– (a) monies appropriated by Parliament for the purposes of the Centre; (b) fees and other monies accruing to the Centre in the course of its activities; and (c) loans and grants, suscriptions and donations from the general public. (2) The Executive Director shall, with the approval of the Board appeal to the general public and international donors for subscriptions or donations for the purposes of the Centre. 13. (1) The Centre shall keep proper books of account and proper records in relation to them, in a form approved by the Auditor- General. (2) The books of account shall, each year be audited by the Auditor-General or an auditor appointed by him and a report of the audit shall be submitted to the Board. 14. The financial year of the Centre shall be the same as the financial year of the Government. 15. (1) The Board shall, within three months after the end of each financial year submit to the Minister a report of the activities and operations of the Centre for that year including the Auditor- General’s report. (2) The Minister shall, within thirty days of the receipt of the report, lay a copy before Parliament. PART VI–MISCELLANEOUS 16. The Board shall determine the scale of fees to be paid by or in respect of students at the Centre and the conditions under which fees may be remitted in whole or in part. 17. The Board may provide bursaries or scholarships to assist in the education, training, maintenance or transport of students who are undergoing courses of study at the Centre and the conditions under which such bursaries or scholarships may be granted or withdrawn. 18. (1) The Board may, by statutory instrument, make rules or regulations to give effect to this Act. (2) Rules or regulations made under subsection (1) may establish codes of conduct and discipline of employees and students of the Centre. Other staff of Funds of Accounts and audit. Financial year. Annual report. 8 9 Scale of fees. Provision of bursaries and schoolarships. Regulations. No. 17 Development Learning Centre 2007No. 17 Development Learning Centre 200710 11 Passed in Parliament this 22nd day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand and seven. A. A. KEMOKAI, Clerk of Parliament. T HIS P RINTED IMPRESSION has been carefully compared by me with the Bill which has passed Parliament and found by me to be a true and correct printed copy of the said Bill. A. A. KEMOKAI, Clerk of Parliament.