Institute of advance management and technology (IAMTECH) and the national electoral commission Saturday certified 12 students who have successfully gone through a twelve-week rigorous training on international electoral law.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony NEC's chief electoral commissioner Dr. Christiana Thorpe said the reason for the training was to establish, within the commission, a core group of dedicated and competent staff that were capable of guiding the legal needs of the commission.

"This will foster the conduct of organized, transparent and credible elections in Sierra Leone. It will also contribute to a conducive political atmosphere, good governance and sustainable peace in our country," she said.

She said her commission and IAMTECH signed a memorandum of understanding on May 22 this year for the formation and implementation of the international electoral law course.

"The aim of the commission is to train a critical mass of Sierra Leoneans in election administration and management. The driving force behind the successful completion of the training was Victoria Stewart-Jolley, an expert in international law," she said.

Dr. Thorpe said the training was made possible by funds provided by the government of Sierra Leone and its donor partners, adding that she was happy that everything went according to plan.

IAMTECH Principal Dr. Paula Kamara called for the need for self development in the modern world, adding that human resource capacity was vital for national development.

She noted that graduates must endeavour to work hard so that the nation can benefit from their knowledge.