Sierra Leone gets new grant to improve learning for a million girls and boys

Over the past decade, Sierra Leone has made progress in getting more children into school by constructing and rehabilitating schools, procuring reading/teaching and learning materials as well as disbursing performance-based grants.

A new grant of US$17.2 million aims to increase equitable access to education and improve learning outcomes for approximately 1 million girls and boys in public pre-primary and primary schools, with a focus on the most vulnerable children.
“Sierra Leone has been a GPE partner since 2007 and engaged in the important process of building an education system that supports all of the country’s children,” said Alice Albright, Chief Executive Officer, Global Partnership for Education.
“This latest funding will be key to making further progress for the youngest learners in reading and writing and increase access to early childhood education, which is the foundation for lifelong learning, for thousands of children,” Albright said.

The grant will help improve student’s reading and mathematics skill in the early grades, expand early childhood development opportunities to reach approximately 10,000 more young children, improve early grade reading and mathematics instruction skills of 17,000 teachers, provide teaching and learning materials, and improve decentralised monitoring, data collection and management, including the establishment of a Learning Assessment Unit within the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education.

 According to recent survey data:

 - Only 11.5 percent of children aged 3 to 5 are attending pre-primary school. 
- 82 percent of all 6 to 11-year-olds attend primary school. 
- Primary school completion rate is 67 percent.
- Junior secondary completion rate is only 49 percent.

While there is gender parity in attendance at the pre-primary, primary and junior secondary levels, more boys than girls complete junior and senior secondary education.

 The GPE funding is based on Sierra Leone’s Education Sector Plan harmonised with other education priorities, plans and policy documents of the Government of Sierra Leone, as well as support, being provided by education partners and donors such as UK Aid (DFID), World Bank, European Union, Government of Ireland and UNICEF.

 DFID is currently the coordinating agency for the GPE programme with responsibilities that include promoting sector coordination in close collaboration with the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education and key education stakeholders.

 Mary Hunt, DFID’s Head of Office, said, “It is a top priority for the UK to see all children, especially girls and those with disability, access quality education. The UK makes a major contribution to the GPE and we are pleased to see that a significant amount of this funding has been mobilised to help the Government of Sierra Leone deliver on its commitment to give all children a chance to reach their potential”.

“This is a windfall for the children of Sierra Leone and our Government is extremely happy about it especially because it coincides with the launch of the Free Quality School Education initiative for primary, junior and senior secondary pupils in the country”, said Hon. Alpha Timbo, Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education. “This grant will help children achieve their potential, which contributes towards achieving the country’s educational outcomes that have been set in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.”

US$17.2 million Global Partnership for Education grant in Sierra Leone launched

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