President Bio calls for transformation and innovation in learning

Sierra Leone Telegraph: 1 February 2020

President Dr Julius Maada Bio this week engaged stakeholders from the education sector in the country on his human capital development drive, and called for more transformation and innovation across the education sector.

His call came as students at the highest seat of learning – the Fourahbay College (FBC) – University of Sierra Leone, went on demonstration at the campus, demanding for the newly constructed hostels to be opened.

The students are also protesting against rising fees, lack of sufficient number of lecture rooms, and insufficient transportation.

Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Dr Moinina David Sengeh, thanked the President for inviting them to the brainstorming meeting on the future of education in the country. He recalled that the President had mandated them to challenge themselves by thinking outside the box.

David Sengeh said that they have put together some of the best minds in education and that they are exploring different solutions to tackle the problems facing the sector.

He also noted that the free quality education programme is a great way of setting the foundation for development, adding that since the introduction of the programme in 2018, parents are now confident in sending their children to school, which has significantly increased attendance.

President Bio said that he is continuing dialogue with stakeholders of the sector as part of his government’s human capital development agenda.

He said his government is working to position the children of the country to the direction in which the world is heading.

He stated that there is need to think about what is needed for the children, which is about getting them the right education from the early stage.

“Our children are going to be living in a highly digital and interconnected world. So, we have to set the foundation and empower them now with the required skills to be useful. I think we need to be transformational and innovative. We have to think now about how our children can be meaningful and can be able to contribute to national development,” he said.