For us in Sierra Leone,听听means that we stop at nothing until every child can access quality education, particularly those who are historically, systematically, infrastructurally, geographically and traditionally marginalized.听
That means all children, including, pregnant girls, parent learners, children with physical, cognitive or psychosocial disabilities, 鈥斺�� children from poor backgrounds and those living in remote areas.
We'll stop at nothing until every child can access quality education, particularly those who are historically, systematically, infrastructurally, geographically and traditionally marginalized.听
We are also doing a number of things to transform education: -
First, we are听building classrooms; we have so far built hundreds of classrooms and plan to build 500 more classrooms over the next two years.听
We will continue to support and train teachers. We have听trained over 22,000 teachers听in the last three years and recruited an additional 12,000.听
We have collective bargaining agreements that are improving teachers鈥� welfare. We have听increased teachers鈥� salaries three times听over the last four years.听
The听integration of technology in education听is central to our education policy. We introduced SMS-based solutions for accessing learning materials; there is a dictionary that children can access through SMS. Exam materials can be accessed online.
Current Position:听Sierra Leone鈥檚 Minister听of Basic and Senior Secondary Education & Chief Innovation Officer. He is听also the co-chair听Transforming Education Summit Advisory Committee, United Nations.
Education Background:
- Studied Biomedical Engineering at听Harvard University听
- Did postgraduate studies at the听Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- He co-founded the award-winning NGO Global Minimum (GMin), which aims to promote innovation among students in secondary schools in Africa.
Employment:听He previously worked at IBM in Nairobi, Kenya, and in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he helped design and develop healthcare technologies.
When exam results are released, it doesn't matter where you are, it doesn't matter how wealthy you are, you can听access them by SMS. You may say 鈥榳ell, not everybody has a smartphone,鈥� but every village has a phone, there's connectivity everywhere. Somebody you know can check your results for free.听
The听integration of technology in education听is central to our education policy. We introduced SMS-based solutions for accessing learning materials; there is a dictionary that children can access through SMS. Exam materials can be accessed online.听
We have also expanded听radio teaching.听
We do听school feeding too, which we have expanded from about 200,000 children to about 600,000 currently.
All these and others come with an increased commitment to听financing听education. We must support children from poor backgrounds who cannot afford to pay school fees, buy textbooks, or buy certain things. It matters that all children, no matter who they are, or where they come from, have access to quality learning.听
Allowing听pregnant girls back in school听was a lot of hard work. It required engaging the President and the Cabinet. There were people, including religious leaders, who preached against it. There were people in civil society who spoke against it. But ultimately, as a people, we understand that when we say universal equity and quality education, you have to give it to everybody.听
We should not double victimize children. These girls are under 18. Many of them were probably raped. It did not make sense to kick them out of school.听
We updated our听tradition and culture to focus on the children听and make sure that they are learning.
David Moinina Sengeh听is Sierra Leone鈥檚 Minister for Education
The text is adapted from the interview with Africa Renewal.