By Saio Marrah
SOS Labour and Transfer2transform in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security in Sierra Leone will for the first time be offering a 50 thousand dollar Loan to Master’s degree students in the fields of Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and other fields and who will then be able to work in the host countries such as USA, Canada, UK , EU and other parts of the world.
The Master’s degree offer is one of three programmes to be executed, along with Diaspora programmes that will be bringing diasporans from the US and other parts of the world to Sierra Leone for job opportunities, and also others seeking work in the Gulf countries, and in the West.
Speaking at an online meeting, the Principal Consultant for legal migration and decent work, and CEO of SOS Labour in Ghana, Rev. Dr. K. Ocansey, described the scheme as a human enhancement programme. “The master’s degree programmes is a human capital enhancement programme, which provides up to 50 thousand US Dollars in a loan package without collateral for you to go and study in the US, UK, Canada, EU and other parts of the world,” she said.
She said they are working with Prodigy financing and Empire financing in the US and UK to ensure these financial institutions pay directly the money into the university college’s bank account.
According to Ocansey, the programme is for two-years and that the students will be able to work 20 hours a day while studying abroad. She said after the studies, they will be working with those that train them while paying back the loans. According to her, the 2022 programme will be focusing on the US and Canada. She said they intend to recruit up to 200 Sierra Leoneans in the programme.
The requirement for intending students is 3.0-grade points of university degree and that the targeted courses. According to Sefa Atakora, UK Executive Director, Nekotech Center, another criterion is that a student has to take an examination called IELTS test, at the British Council at a cost of 300 Dollars.
She said this opportunity has been the reason many Indians are furthering their studies in the West and then making an impact in their countries.
The Rokel Commercial Bank (RCB) in Sierra Leone has offered to give a loan of up to 50 million Leones to the candidates to facilitate their travelling and other expenses with collateral from their relatives.
Speaking on behalf of the Government of Sierra Leone, the Minister of Labour and Social Security, Alpha Timbo, said they want things to work in the interest of everyone and that they want it to be a win-win situation for everyone, especially the students. He therefore appealed to the banking institution to “consider the other options”. He however said that he will take the issue to their next cabinet meeting. He however acknowledged that as a ministry, they have not been popularizing it.
Copyright © Politico Online (14/07/21)
