The Senegalese Minister of Education Mamadou Talla has expressed positive views on a proposed teacher/student exchange programme between his country and Sierra Leone, according to a press statement from the Information Attaché at the Sierra Leone Embassy in Dakar.
Talla was reacting to a draft proposal he had received from the visiting Sierra Leone Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Dr. Moinina Sengeh. He said his country would be pleased to receive teachers and students of the exchange programme from Sierra Leone.
The Senegalese Education Minister mentioned that his country was also eager and pleased to send their teachers and students to Sierra Leone.
He revealed that English education was integral to President Macky Sall’s agenda to preserve English speaking and learning. He said in Senegal, teaching English starts at 6th grade but that has not been effectively reflected at the end of their schooling.
Dr. Sengeh had spoken about the flagship education programme of President Bio’s government that also places emphasis on learning French Language during his presentation of the proposal. He thanked Ambassador Koroma for his preliminary work to ensure the exchange programme was re-introduced.
Dr. Sengeh assured Tall that all necessary steps would be taken for a follow up visit after he would have discussed the details of his experience with his Technical Advisers back in Freetown.
Minister Sengeh was later taken on a conducted tour of the Senegal Ministry of Education where he engaged heads of departments.
The draft exchange proposal had been developed by the Sierra Leone Teaching Service Commission as a result of an engagement made by the Sierra Leone Ambassador to Senegal Alhaji Brima Elvis Koroma on February 17th, 2019 with the Minister of Education for Senegal.
Minister Talla suggested a planning visit by Minister Sengeh and his team of Technical Advisers to fully apprise themselves with the Senegalese model during an earlier meeting with Ambassador Koroma.
At the time, Ambassador Koroma had stated that to strengthen regional integration and accelerate the free movement of people, the government in Freetown through its education flagship programme was desirous of making French language the second option for school going children. He recalled the past, when students who were offering French were highly motivated with a year- long scholarship to study in a Francophone country with teachers also benefitting.
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