Collaboration with other countries will be critical in helping Sierra Leone drive significant change within the country’s educational landscape. That was the key message to emerge from a recent meeting between Conrad Sackey, Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, and Special Envoy May-Marie Duwai-Sowa.
The meeting was held on April 27, 2024 at Minister Sackey’s office in the capital city of Freetown.
One major focal point for collaboration lies in securing logistical support from partner agencies in Canada, particularly McMaster University, which is located close to the Office of the SEIRTI in Hamilton.
McMaster University’s steadfast commitment, aligned visions, and longstanding rapport with the SEIRTI has made the university a key partner in helping advance the SEIRTI’s mandate, and resulted in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Sierra Leone, according to the Special Envoy.
During the meeting, Minister Sackey stressed the pressing need for research opportunities to fortify database protection, alongside the necessity for comprehensive training and logistical support. Emphasizing the recent introduction of a health and safety curriculum, he highlighted the need for skilled teachers to disseminate this vital curriculum across Sierra Leone’s 12,000 schools.
Minister Sackey passionately advocated for guidance counselling within the academic sphere. A strategic deployment of counsellors would not only provide essential guidance counselling services but also lay the groundwork for internship training for students and educators lacking guidance counselling expertise.
In addition, Minister Sackey underscored the critical need for psychiatric training, acknowledging the pivotal role played by mental health institutions and social workers from Canadian agencies in helping combat the current drug epidemic among Sierra Leone’s youth. Recognising that young people can be catalysts for societal change, the Minister noted the correlation between substance abuse and its detrimental impact on mental health, suggesting it’s a hindrance to the nation’s development trajectory.
Special Envoy Duwai-Sowa encouraged Minister Sackey to consider hosting a curriculum exchange as a means to explore potential partnerships. The Special Envoy pledged to foster connections between the Ministry and relevant agencies upon her return to Canada to help address Sierra Leone’s prevailing social challenges. Plans were set to organise a delegation that would include Minister Sackey and key governmental stakeholders for a reciprocal visit to Canada to help strengthen bilateral cooperation.
“This meeting is a testament to the shared commitment towards realizing a transformative educational agenda in Sierra Leone, fuelled by collaboration, innovation, and unwavering determination,” Special Envoy Duwai-Sowa.
Duwai-Sowa represents Sierra Leone’s Office of the Special Envoy for International Relations, Trade, and Investment (SEIRTI), which is based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Born in Sierra Leone and now living in Canada, Special Envoy Duwai-Sowa holds both Canadian and Sierra Leone citizenship.
