By Politico staff writer
In an effort to ensure improved learning outcomes across Sierra Leone, the Government last week launched the Education
Sector Plan (ESP) 2022-2026 with the theme “Transforming Learning for All”
The document presented to education stakeholders at the Freetown International Conference Centre, Aberdeen is the fourth such produced by the country since 2007.
The ESP according to officials builds on the achievements of the previous
sector plan which spanned 2018-2022 and focuses on improving learning outcomes for all children and youth for which the Ministries of Basic and Senior Secondary Education and the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education will focus on Strengthening the instructional core, recruiting, retraining, and support excellent educators, reduce gender and other disparities in educational access, experience, and outcomes for the most marginalised, provide safe, healthy, and conducive learning environment for all, strengthen governance, management, and accountability for performance and Enhance emergency prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery among others.
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In his keynote address, President Julius Maada Bio noted that it is the fourth ESP developed in Sierra Leone since 2007, and that it is firmly situated within the vision established in the ‘New Direction’ manifesto for transforming education in the country, anchored on the work of the last four years. He added that the process of developing the ESP has been highly consultative and guided by several existing assessment reports and policy frameworks that are relevant to the sector.
“Nations that have achieved rapid and sustainable economic growth have done so by developing their most productive resources (the human capital). That is why we have predicated our development agenda on delivering human capital development through free quality education, affordable and quality healthcare, and food security” he said, adding that “we must as a nation get education right if we must get sustainable development right in Sierra Leone”.
Emphasizing the need for skills training and development, the Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Prof Alpha Tejan Wurie, recalled that in 2020, 60% of pupils passed English and Mathematics at BEC- CE, indicating that only 60% will progress to Senior Secondary School. He also noted that in the same 2020, only 10% passed
Mathematics and/or English at WASSCE, which means that only 10% can access university education for the first time. Therefore, a larger number is required to enroll in government technical institutes, polytechnics, technical universities, and community colleges before eventually accessing university.
He further disclosed that the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education has developed a national quality framework for the Technical, Vocational, Education, and Training (TVET) Sector, which aims not only to heighten the competency levels but also to have parity of esteem.
“We have to give opportunities to people from various options in life. We have to harness digital technologies. We have to show cooperation in research teaching and learning,” he said.
Speaking about fundational learning and the annual school census 2021, the Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Dr. David Sengeh started off by saying that the event is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity given to Sierra Leone for establishing a new foundation and do things differently in the education sector, adding that it sets the stage for current and future work.
He however mentioned that effective delivery of the work requires continuous consultations.
According to Dr. Sengeh, enrolment of kids into schools this year fromcthe annual school census is over three million (3,000,000) compared
to less than two million (2,000,000) in 2018.
“We have just completed the training of four thousand primary school teachers (primary 1 to primary 3) with the focus on foundational learning. We have expanded the number of inspectors in schools, which now guarantees an Inspector in every chiefdom,” he said, adding that 650,000 children have benefited from school feeding, and the number is projected to rise to 800,000 this September 2022.
He further stated that his Ministry has recruited up to 10,878 teachers added to the payroll and that more will be recruited this first term. He commended the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) for having trained more than 42,000 teachers in all aspects of teacher development with financing from their partners.
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