INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)

ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue XI November 2025

Page 5260

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The Imperative of Timely Pedagogical Feedback: A Catalyst for

Sustainable Educational Reform and Human Capital Development in

Sierra Leone’s Higher Education Sector

Mohamed Suffian Kamara

, Emmanuel Dumbuya

, James Saysay Kanu

M.Ed., B.Ed., H.T.C(Sec),T.C, Ernest Bai Koroma University of Science and Technology Sierra Leone

M.Ed., B.Ed., Njala University

M.Ed., B.Ed., DAE, CAE, H.T.C(Primary), T.C Ernest Bai Koroma University of Science and

Technology Sierra Leone

Corresponding Author

DOI: https://doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.91100416

Received: 10 November 2025; Accepted: 16 November 2025; Published: 13 December 2025

ABSTRACT

Timely pedagogical feedback transcends its traditional role of informing students of grades; it functions as a

critical systemic mechanism that shapes learning trajectories, fortifies institutional integrity, and guides national

education policy. Grounded in established learning and curriculum theory, this paper argues that prompt,

actionable feedback is a non-negotiable prerequisite for multi-level accountability and development,

encompassing student metacognition, lecturer reflexivity, and administrative quality assurance. Drawing

specifically on the resource-constrained context of Sierra Leone’s higher education (HE) system, this analysis

delineates the systemic costs of delayed feedback and proposes a concrete framework for cultural and structural

reform. The core recommendation is the mandatory, timely return of marked scripts to students, repositioning

feedback from a post-assessment ritual to an active pedagogical instrument for human capital development. This

approach aligns with recent scholarship emphasizing feedback literacy and digital feedback mechanisms as

essential for enhancing student agency (Winstone & Nash, 2023; Liu et al., 2025).

Keywords: Timely Feedback; Pedagogical Feedback; Higher Education Reform; Sierra Leone; Human Capital

Development; Feedback Literacy; Quality Assurance; Assessment for Learning; Formative Assessment; Sub-

Saharan Africa.

INTRODUCTION: FEEDBACK AS A SYSTEMIC REFORM LEVER

The efficacy of educational processes is fundamentally predicated on the immediacy and quality of feedback.

The delay in providing students with assignment comments, course grades, or examination results in higher

education is not a mere logistical inconvenience; it represents a significant structural failure that compromises

the quality and momentum of learning. The concept of education as a continuous process demands that the link

between effort and outcome must be rapidly reinforced to prevent the loss of learning momentum (Dewey, 1938).

In Sierra Leone, the higher education sector is marked by the dual challenges of post-conflict recovery and the

increasing demand generated by the Free Quality School Education (FQSE) initiative. To translate mass access

into tangible quality, a core structural reform is needed. Recent research globally has shifted the focus from

merely providing feedback to fostering student feedback literacy—the ability to read, understand, and act on

feedback (Winstone & Carless, 2020; Ilie, 2024). This paper asserts that embedding a culture of timely,

developmental feedback serves as this critical leverage point, driving quality and equity across the HE system.

This analysis moves beyond the conventional student-lecturer dynamic to explore the necessity of timely

feedback from six critical, often-overlooked angles, framing feedback as a systemic regulatory action (Fyfe et

al., 2023).

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)

ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue XI November 2025

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THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK: A POST-2020 SYNTHESIS

This critique is anchored in key theoretical constructs, updated with contemporary scholarship:

 Formative Assessment and Timeliness (Hattie & Timperley, 2007; Black & Wiliam, 1998): Feedback

is most powerful when it is timely, specific, and actionable, enabling students to correct errors and adjust

learning strategies before the next summative assessment. Delayed feedback degrades its formative

potential to a purely summative function. Empirical studies strongly support that immediate feedback—

especially via digital channels—significantly improves cognitive skills and satisfaction (Afify, 2025).

 Feedback Literacy and Student Agency (Winstone & Carless, 2020): This modern paradigm

emphasizes that students must be active participants in the feedback loop. Timeliness is crucial for

developing metacognitive skills (e.g., self-monitoring and self-evaluation), which are essential for

academic success (Dweck, 2020).

 Affective Dimension of Feedback (Liu et al., 2025; Rani, 2025): New research highlights the

psychological safety aspect. Timely, personalized, and emotionally intelligent feedback significantly

reduces assessment-related anxiety and fosters student motivation and wellbeing, repositioning feedback

as a developmental, not judgmental, mechanism.

 Constructive Alignment (Biggs, 1999): Feedback remains the essential linkage between intended

learning outcomes, teaching activities, and assessment tasks. Institutional failure to manage this process

in a timely manner signifies a breakdown in the entire 'alignment' and quality assurance loop.

THE MULTI-STAKEHOLDER NECESSITY OF TIMELY FEEDBACK

Student Metacognition and Self-Regulation Prompt feedback is fundamental to developing self-regulated

learning—the capacity for students to manage their own learning process (Panadero & Broadbent, 2020).

Timeliness ensures that the feedback is utilized effectively, which is the core metric of feedback success (Fyfe et

al., 2023). When feedback is delayed, students are more likely to disengage or repeat the same mistakes, directly

contradicting the goal of fostering independence. Studies indicate the ideal turnaround time for complex

assignments is 5–10 working days (ResearchGate, 2025).

Lecturer Reflexivity and Pedagogical Renewal The provision of feedback acts as an input for pedagogical

adjustment. When lecturers provide feedback quickly, they receive immediate, diagnostic data on teaching

efficacy, allowing for reflection-in-action (Schön, 1983). Furthermore, training in delivering feedback (e.g.,

focusing on a coaching style over a judgmental one) is critical to maximizing its impact and is a necessary

component of modern academic professional development (Pitt & Quinlan, 2022).

Administrative Accountability and Quality Assurance From the institutional perspective, feedback turnaround

time (TAT) is a quantifiable Key Performance Indicator (KPI) of academic quality. The failure to provide timely

feedback exposes institutions to scrutiny, a persistent issue cited even in relatively well-resourced contexts in

Africa (Dlamini, 2024; ResearchGate, 2025). Structured, trackable feedback systems—especially those enabled

by digital tools—provide the necessary data for internal performance monitoring and external accreditation

processes.

The Role of Digital and AI-Assisted Mechanisms The integration of digital learning environments (DLEs) offers

a critical solution to the timeliness challenge in contexts like Sierra Leone. DLEs allow for:

 Faster Delivery: Overcoming logistical and distance barriers (TEQSA, 2022).

 Personalization: AI-assisted tools can provide immediate and personalized feedback on preliminary

drafts, freeing up lecturer time for more complex, in-depth final commentary (Al-Amin et al., 2024;

Illinois, 2024).

 Enhanced Dialogue: Digital platforms facilitate dialogic feedback loops, moving the process from a one-

way transmission to a sustained conversation (Hill & West, 2020).

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)

ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue XI November 2025

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CONSEQUENCES OF SYSTEMIC FEEDBACK FAILURE (REVISED TO ADDRESS

QUANTITATIVE CONCERN)

The failure to enforce timely and high-quality feedback carries significant negative systemic consequences:

 Quantifiable Economic and Human Capital Costs: The prolonged learning cycle due to delayed

feedback represents a measurable drag on human capital formation, slowing the rate at which graduates

develop necessary competencies. Future studies are vital to quantify these costs (e.g., in terms of

student retention rates, time-to-competency, and subsequent labor market readiness) to strengthen

policy advocacy efforts.

 Psychological Distress: Students experience heightened anxiety, frustration, and feelings of neglect when

systems are opaque and slow (Liu et al., 2025; Afify, 2025).

 Erosion of Institutional Trust: The lack of promptness fuels student dissatisfaction and public cynicism

about the true quality and accountability of HE institutions in Sierra Leone.

ACTIONABLE FRAMEWORK FOR FEEDBACK REFORM (EXPANDED FOR

IMPLEMENTATION DETAIL)

A practical, high-impact reform focuses on embedding a transparent feedback loop, leveraging technology where

possible.

Mandatory Return of Marked Scripts: The Transparency Mandate The most direct, high-impact reform is the

institutional mandate to return marked examination scripts and coursework to students with substantive,

actionable comments. This practice, often lacking in African HE (ResearchGate, 2025), promotes ultimate

transparency and empowers students to directly assess their errors. This must be coupled with:

 Enforceable TAT: A maximum of 10–14 working days for all formative and summative assignments

(ResearchGate, 2025).

 Focus on 'Feedforward': Comments must be designed not merely to judge past work, but to direct future

improvement (Pitt & Quinlan, 2022).

Institutional Preparedness and Digital Barriers (New Section) While digital integration offers speed, its adoption

in Sierra Leone requires acknowledging and addressing significant challenges:

 Resource Constraints: Reform implementation must be phased, prioritizing training and policy over

immediate, large-scale hardware investment. Initial efforts should leverage existing mobile technologies

and basic Learning Management System (LMS) features.

 Capacity Building: Resistance from academic staff—due to workload concerns or lack of digital skills—

is a primary barrier. Implementation requires mandatory, sustained, and funded professional development

focused on the practical use of DLEs for feedback.

 Pilot Project Requirement: To gather crucial practical lessons, new digital feedback policies must be

introduced through small-scale pilot projects within willing departments before mandatory institutional

rollout.

Developing Feedback Literacy and Affective Competence (New Section) Sustainable reform hinges on changing

cultural practice, requiring specific training for all stakeholders:

 Lecturer Training: Professional development must include training in feedback literacy (how to deliver

effective, clear feedback) and managing the affective dimension (how to provide sensitive,

developmental, and non-judgmental commentary).

 Student Training: Orientations must include explicit instruction on how to read, interpret, and act on

feedback, shifting them from passive recipients to active partners in the learning process.

 Stakeholder Consultation: Policy development should be collaborative, involving academic staff,

student union representatives, and administration to ensure buy-in and address contextual implementation

barriers specific to each institution.

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)

ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue XI November 2025

Page 5263

www.rsisinternational.org

CONCLUSION

Timely pedagogical feedback is the engine of quality, equity, and student success. For a nation like Sierra Leone,

striving for educational excellence and inclusive national development, embedding a culture of timely, actionable,

and digitally-enabled feedback is not merely an administrative task—it is a vital strategic intervention in human

capital formation. By committing to the Transparency Mandate of returning marked work promptly, supporting

lecturers with modern feedback literacy training, and navigating implementation barriers through phased,

consulted rollout, the HE sector can transition into a dynamic, responsive learning environment, truly serving as

a catalyst for sustainable national progress.

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