By Nasratu Kargbo
The Deputy Director in the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) John K. Ansumana updating journalists on the outcome of the school census has said that the Government of Sierra Leone has spent NLe 510,300,383 on the Free Quality Education (FQE) programme.
Presenting his data during the weekly press briefing at the Ministry of Information and Communications on the 1st of September 2022, Ansumana explained that the money was spent on pre-primary, primary, secondary, and senior secondary education, from 2018 to 2022.
Highlighting the specific amounts spent per year, he stated that in 2018 a total of NLe 30,436,730 was spent, in the year 2019 NLe 115,594,533, and in 2020 NLe 89,723,960. The total sum paid for 2021 and 2022 was 161,891,630 and 112,653,530, respectively.
He noted that these payments have eased the burden on parents in paying school fees.
In the area of manpower, the Director explained that the government has recruited and replaced 10,878 teachers from 2018 to 2022, noting that throughout those years the government has reassessed 5,251 teachers and that in 2022 177 retiree teachers were replaced.
Explaining improvements made in teachers’ salaries, Ansumana stated that an increase in salary was made in January 2019; with a 10% transportation allowance paid to teachers from grade one to six, with an increase of 30% in 2020 for all government teachers nationwide.
He also spoke of a recent negotiation that the government made with SLTU, which led to an increment of 45% for a period of three years, with payment set to commence in January 2023.
The Director explained that policies were developed to support the FQE, amongst them the radical inclusion policy which encourages pregnant girls to attend school and ensures the school compounds are disabled-friendly. Other policies included school feeding, teacher management, teacher registration, and licensing policy.
He explained that the learning passport has all materials such as past questions of NPSE, BECE, and WASSCE from 2010 to 2021, and one does not have to visit the West African Examination Council (WAEC) for past papers.
The Annual School Census (ASC) is a strategic effort of the government to collect educational data and statistics for educational development, planning, and Policy interventions and to support the activities of partners.
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