I raise my hand for education. I raise my hand for inclusive education. I raise my hand so that every child – and in particular girls – can access, stay in, and complete their education in a safe and enabling environment.
As a Board Member of the Global Partnership for Education, Sierra Leone has been playing an important role in the build-up to the Girls Education Summit co-hosted by the UK and Kenya. We have led and participated in global discussions on girl’s education; and advocated for the need of continuous learning in the face of covid-19 school closures and the ultimate safe school reopening. We do this because the country’s National Development Plan titled “Education for Development” places human capital development at its heart, central to which are the Sustainable Development Goals 4 (Quality Education) and 5 (Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment).
We call on donor member countries to contribute generously in this GPE financing campaign. Sierra Leone is a country that leads by example – we have expanded our education budget and financing every year over the last three years. The increased financing targets expanding enrolment through our policy of universal and accessible education. Furthermore, we have invested in hiring more qualified and trained teachers, constructing safer classrooms and schools, are implementing school feeding programs, and are developing new curricular materials relevant for the 21st century. Investments in non-formal and adult education have also expanded learning and literacy centers right across Sierra Leone. We believe that an investment in education now is our only guaranteed hope of addressing our most intractable global problems including climate change, terrorism, illegal migration, world poverty, and pandemics.
My Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education has also championed several transformational policies. The recent Policy on Radical Inclusion in Schools guarantees education for all children specifically targeting four groups: i. girls, pregnant school girls and parent learners; ii. children from poor and vulnerable backgrounds; iii. children from rural and remote areas; and iv. children with disabilities. The Early Childhood Education and Development policy for the first time adds at least one year of formal preschool to the educational system in Sierra Leone.
Globally, Sierra Leone recently became the first country to start the implementation of the UN-led Education Plus Initiative, and is a member of the World Bank’s ‘Accelerator Program’ to improve global foundational learning. In addition, I Chair the UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report who’s 2020 report focused on inclusion (#AllMeansAll). These efforts are all part of our commitment to champion His Excellency President Bio’s flagship program of Free Quality School Education for all children in Sierra Leone. We believe more can always be done to support global education and as we start accelerating towards the SDG 4 goals. We can only reimagine education through better and effective global partnerships. This is our commitment to the Global Partnership for Education.