History of TECT

Recognizing the acute need for educated pastors and administrators, evangelical Mission/Church leaders in Sierra Leone in February 1957 formed the Inter-Mission Bible School Committee. The purpose of this committee was to consider a possible basis for co-operation in theological education in Sierra Leone. In the ensuing years continuing discussions and plans resulted in three missions/denominations officially cooperating in the founding of what was originally called the Union Bible College: the Missionary Church Association (MCA), the United Brethren in Christ (UBC), and the American Wesleyan Mission (AWM).

In 1962, a lease was negotiated for the site of the Bible College on the Jui Peninsula, twelve miles from the center of Freetown. Then, in February 1963 Rev. Warren Woolsey was appointed as the first Principal to establish the College, followed by the formation of the Board of Governors and the approval of the Constitution in June 1963. The College was opened on the 12th October, 1964, with six students in two three-year academic programmes offering a secondary level Certificate of Theology and a post-secondary Diploma of Theology.

Increasing educational expectations in Sierra Leone caused the Board of Governors in May 1983 to approve a four-year degree programme offering a Bachelor of Theology. The certificate level program was phased out with the last students in the programme graduating in June 1987. The first eight degree candidates registered in September 1987 and graduated in June 1991.

Sierra Leone Bible College, now The Evangelical College of Theology, continued to develop its programmes and expand its facilities over the years, graduating students who became Pastors, Chaplains, and Church Administrators. In recent years, the curriculum has been expanded to include other disciplines such as Community Development Studies, Peace and Development Studies and Business Administration.

The joint Proprietors of the College are:

• Wesleyan Church of Sierra Leone (WCSL)
• United Brethren in Christ (UBC)
• Baptist Convention in Sierra Leone (BCSL)
• Countess of Huntingdon’s Connexion (CHC)
• Missionary Church of Africa (MCA). Withdrew its proprietorship in 1998.

In order to ensure that the programmes of study offered at TECT are in line with quality, national and international accreditation standards, the college sought accreditation from various institutions. TECT was granted full Accreditation status by the Accrediting Council for Theological Education in Africa (ACTEA), for its Bachelor of Theology and Diploma in Theology programs in June 1996. In 1997, the University of Sierra Leone granted accreditation to TECT. In November 2008, it received accreditation from the National Council for Technical, Vocational and other Academic Awards (NCTVA) for the award of National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diplomas (HND)