Education

Sierra Leone is facing a learning crisis, where only eight percent of children in the third grade are able to read a simple text. Missing out on foundational skills, such as reading and mathematics, hinders a child’s growth and learning for the rest of their life. (UNICEF, 2022).

In 2019, only 39 percent of primary school students in Sierra Leone reached Grade 6 and just 76 percent of those students passed the National Primary School Examination (NPSE) to enter junior secondary school (UNESCO, 2019). Additionally, only 46% of junior secondary students in Grade 9 passed the Basic Education Certificate (BECE) exam to advance to senior secondary school.


Access to quality education, retention and completion of school remain challenges for children in Sierra Leone. These factors are compounded by poverty, gender discrimination, long distances to schools, perceived low value placed on education, negative social norms practices such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM – 86.1 per cent), early marriage (30 per cent of women are married before age 18), teenage pregnancy, and unsafe learning environment.

The percentage of school age out-of-school children in primary, junior and senior secondary schools is as follows: primary school (18 percent), Junior secondary school (19 percent), Senior secondary school (36 percent).

Children who go to school in Sierra Leone have great difficulty accessing proper sanitation. This severely damages their health, as it causes dysentery, cholera, and other diseases. The problem is more severe in rural areas due to deficient water supply systems, inadequate sanitation, and little knowledge about hygiene practices. Due to the many of the factors listed above, many children in Sierra Leone fail to complete primary school or to make the transition from primary to Junior Secondary School (JSS).

Completion rates stand at: primary: 64 percent, JSS (lower secondary): 44 percent, SSS (upper secondary): 22 percent. Furthermore, few opportunities exist for alternative education for out-of-school boys and girls, which could help them to acquire functional literacy for sustainable livelihoods and economic empowerment, in order to realize their full potential and contribute meaningfully to nation building.

In particular, the project will focus on making improvements to less than adequate educational facilities, such as replacing missing /unhinged doors, fixing roofs, plumbing, and broken windows. Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning are reported to be in less than adequate condition.

And many schools face a shortage of classrooms and teachers, leading to overcrowded classes. There is often insufficient funding for basic supplies like chairs, desks, and books.

Schools also lack education materials. Schools do not have libraries where students can access reading or study materials. The project will focus on making improvements in this area as well.

The civil war devastated the education system, destroying schools and causing teachers to flee. The Ebola outbreak also disrupted education. Efforts are being made to address these challenges and ensure a healthier learning environment.

The general objective is to improve access to sustainable water, sanitation, hygiene services, and to the overall function of educational facilities in the ten educational centers.