By George M.O. Williams
The College of Digital Excellence (CODE) on Friday, July 3, 2026, held its largest-ever matriculation ceremony at the Choithram International School in Freetown, marking another milestone in the institution’s rapid growth.
The ceremony brought together key stakeholders in the education sector, parents, students, and invited guests to officially welcome a new cohort of learners into the institution.
Delivering the keynote address, the Mayor of Freetown, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, underscored the importance of digital empowerment in today’s rapidly evolving world, noting that the digital economy offers enormous opportunities for innovation, entrepreneurship, and national development.
Reflecting on the institution’s progress, she said that since its establishment in 2021 with only a handful of students, the College of Digital Excellence has grown to an enrolment of about 350 students, describing the achievement as a testament to the institution’s commitment to equipping young Sierra Leoneans with relevant digital skills for the future.
She defined excellence as achieving greatness not by accident but through intention, consistency, hard work, and a deliberate commitment to continuous improvement.
“Excellence is a mindset,” she said, urging students to cultivate it throughout their academic journey and in their future careers.
She encouraged the matriculants to approach every task with a spirit of excellence, stressing that success is earned through discipline, dedication, and perseverance.
“There is no shortcut to excellence. I encourage you all to remain focused on your studies and personal development despite the challenges you may encounter,” she said.
The Mayor also challenged the students to think beyond traditional employment by becoming job creators rather than job seekers, using the digital knowledge and skills they acquire to develop innovative solutions and create opportunities for others.
Concluding her address, she urged the students to uphold the values of excellence in everything they do, reminding them that their attitude, commitment, and determination would shape their future success. She congratulated the new students on gaining admission to the College of Digital Excellence and wished them a rewarding and transformational academic journey.
Earlier, the Director of CODE, Niharika Agnani, described the occasion as a proud milestone for the institution and welcomed the new students as they embarked on what she called a transformational journey.
She noted that this year’s ceremony was the largest matriculation in the institution’s history, bringing together students from both the Congo Cross and Wellington campuses.
Agnani encouraged students to embrace healthy competition and participate in extracurricular activities while remaining focused on their primary purpose of learning, personal growth, and professional development.
She observed that the students had chosen careers in the digital economy one of the world’s fastest-growing sectors
and said the College of Digital Excellence was well positioned to prepare them for emerging opportunities in technology.
She urged them to make the most of the institution’s academic offerings, including short professional courses and degree programmes in software engineering and networking.
Addressing a growing social concern, Agnani identified drug abuse as one of Sierra Leone’s most pressing challenges in recent years. She called on parents, guardians, religious leaders, deans, and other stakeholders to provide guidance and support to young people instead of stigmatizing them, stressing that collective action is essential to helping the nation’s youth realise their full potential.