How Schools of Salone is Building a Brighter Future with Education in Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone’s educational system faces major challenges. While enrollment rates are up, learning outcomes still lag and without training, teachers in rural communities struggle to teach. In a panel discussion held by Schools for Salone on Giving Tuesday, “Beyond Access: Building a Brighter Future with Quality Education in Sierra Leone,” experts and advocates shared insights into how foundational learning and targeted support can meet the needs of teachers and students.

Host Vickie Remoe (L), experts Dr. Bidemi Carrol (M) & Minster Conrad Sackey (R) present at the webinar

Improving Teaching skills in Sierra Leone

Schools for Salone has been working tirelessly to support teachers, particularly in rural areas, where many volunteer teachers lack formal training. They do this by partnering with the Learning Foundation.  

The Learning Foundation focuses on learning, as its name suggests, with a strong emphasis on literacy. They aim to inspire a love for reading and writing, fostering an educated society. 

The Foundation started its journey with one school in the Western Area, where they built a library and provided books. Since then, it has trained teacher-librarians and educators in literacy, equipping them to teach young children effectively. 

Dr. Bidemi Carrol of the Learning Foundation discussed how teachers in these underserved areas often struggle with basic skills like phonics, sounds, and reading. 

Dr. Carrol emphasised the need to address these challenges by focusing on teacher training at the foundational level. She explained that many volunteer teachers, who are often unqualified, frequently leave schools due to lack of formal employment. 

“One year we will have one set of teachers, and the next year they are all gone,” she said. 

The Learning Foundation has a training system that progresses teachers through levels, from level 1 to level 3. However, with some of the teachers leaving within two or three years, they often do so at level 1, leaving gaps in the system. 

The high turnover also creates the challenge of repeatedly retraining teachers to maintain their efficiency and effectiveness. 

This turnover disrupts the learning experience for students, who need consistent teaching. 

The Learning Foundation is addressing this by focusing on building literacy from an early age through teacher training. 

“From the research, we learned that it is very important that from an early age young people develop very strong literacy skills because that is what helps them learn more and understand as they are growing,” she explained. 

By collaborating with local partners and training teachers in foundational literacy, SfS and its partners are creating a generation of students who can read, write and thrive in their education.  

Saio Marrah, Programs Manager at the Learning Foundation training some teachers

How the Government of Sierra Leone is Helping Address Learning Poverty

In Sierra Leone, the education system faces multifaceted challenges. One of the most pressing issues is learning poverty. 

Minister Conrad Sackey, present at the webinar, highlighted a significant gap in literacy and comprehension skills. 

“At age 10, many children may perhaps be able to read but can’t fully understand what they are reading,” he said. 

This means children can sound out words but lack the skills to truly engage with and understand content. As a result, they fall behind early in their education and struggle to catch up. 

Minister Sackey discussed the government’s commitment to reducing  learning poverty by 2030, focusing on foundational learning. This initiative includes partnerships with organizations like the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and other donors, who recently provided $50 million to improve educational outcomes in Sierra Leone. 

Minister Sackey also explained that many teachers in Sierra Leone struggle with teaching basic literacy. 

“Some of our teachers graduating from these teacher training schools were not ready to impact knowledge the way we wanted them to,” he said. 

To address this, the government is improving teaching quality through a licensure programme. Teachers must pass exams in five key subjects; English mathematics, ICT, pedagogy(teaching methods), and professional standards. 

These exams ensure that teachers are well-equipped to meet the challenges of modern education in Sierra Leone. By raising teacher preparation standards, the government aims to improve learning outcomes nationwide. 

The government also introduced four distinct curricula; early childhood education, basic education, civic education, and secondary education. Initially, the early childhood curriculum encountered challenges due to its broad scope and inadequate teacher training in the science of reading. 

Minister Sackey explained that the government has refined and tested a new approach in the early childhood education curriculum. It will soon be re-implemented in schools. Additionally, they are also training  school quality assurance leaders to coach and support teachers directly in classrooms.

Even though some work has been done, the road forward remains challenging. Minister Sackey noted that Sierra Leone continues to recover from the effects of past crises. The Ebola crises and COVID-19 caused major disruptions that the nation is still recovering from. 

Host Vickie Remoe (top left), experts Dr. Bidemi Carrol (top right) & Minster Conrad Sackey (down) present at the webinar

How You can Help Expand Access to Education in Sierra Leone

Schools for Salone is making a significant impact on education in Sierra Leone by investing in teacher training programs, organised by the Learning Foundation. However, support is urgently needed. 

Donations to Schools for Salone will directly fund teacher training programmes done by the Learning Foundation. This helps equip educators with the skills with tools and skills to teach foundational literacy effectively. 

Your contributions will help provide teachers with the resources for quality education. Through training workshops, teaching materials, or ongoing professional development organized by the Learning Foundation, your donation creates lasting change for both teachers and students. 

Join Schools for Salone in building a brighter future for Sierra Leone’s children. Donate today by following this LINK and be part of the transformation.