The Three Pillars of the Education System in Sierra Leone
By: Amadu Koroma

October 7, 2019

Year in and year out, students spend precious time attending school. Education, whether at the lower or higher stage, has been a significant factor since its introduction during the colonial period. It plays a crucial role in assessing individual and institutional progress. The education we obtain in schools not only provides individual accolades. It also serves as a training ground to meet the demands of the job market.

We need to highlight the structures that make up the education system in Sierra Leone. This is essential before delving into the outcomes of the educational process and its effects on students and graduates. Like many African countries, Sierra Leone has both formal and informal education systems. Formal education is in higher demand among the Sierra Leonean populace.

Three key players in the education system include:

1. The ministries – the guardians of the education system;
2. Schools, colleges, and universities – the service providers; and
3. Pupils, students, and apprentices – the primary beneficiaries of formal education.

Understanding the roles and functions of these guardians, service providers, and beneficiaries is crucial. Recognizing the challenges they face can help identify the missing links. These links contributed to the massive failures of 2019. The failures led to the loss of the country’s status as the “Athens of West Africa.” Identifying steps needed for improvement is essential.

A highly applauded decision by His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio was dividing the former Ministry of Education. The division resulted in two entities. These are the Ministry of Basic and Secondary School Education (MBSSE) and the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education (MTHE). These are headed by Mr. Alpha Timbo and Dr. Aiah Gbakima, respectively. This unprecedented move was likely intended to support the ambitious flagship program. This program aimed to provide free and quality education. It helped bring the current government to power.

The MBSSE oversees education from nursery to senior secondary school. The expected outcome is that students successfully pass external examinations. They should qualify for higher education. The MTHE, on the other hand, manages colleges and higher learning institutions. This includes universities. Its goal is to produce graduates equipped to meet labor market demands.

Since his election in 2018, President Bio has committed to improving educational standards. In fulfillment of his flagship initiative, he launched the Free and Quality Education (F&QE) program in 2019. The vision behind this initiative is to improve human capital development. It aims to reduce economic inequality by encouraging school attendance and expanding access to education for all Sierra Leoneans.

The initiative was widely applauded. However, its implementation over the past year and a half has exposed the dilapidated state of the education system. One could argue that the system had been neglected or insufficiently prioritized by previous administrations. Poor school infrastructure presents a significant challenge. Long distances to schools in rural areas also pose difficulties. There is a lack of learning materials. Additionally, there are shortages of qualified teachers. Widespread examination malpractice, including bribery and sexual exploitation, remains a substantial issue.

In summary, the 2019 external examination results revealed deep-rooted weaknesses in the system. Approximately 95% of candidates failed the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), as announced by the MBSSE. This outcome was a major setback at the start of the F&QE program. It highlights the magnitude of the challenge facing the government.

This raises an important question: Has the education system been working effectively? Opinions differ, and several perspectives exist. Below are proposed measures for consideration by all concerned stakeholders.

Service Providers – Schools, Colleges, and Universities

Each academic year, high-enrollment schools send many pupils to sit external examinations. These schools include Ahmadiyya Muslim Secondary School, Government Rokel Secondary School, and Government Model Secondary School. Other schools are Sierra Leone Muslim Brotherhood Schools, Anzaru Islamic School, Congress Schools, and St. Joseph Secondary School. Edwards Secondary School and Bishop Johnson Memorial School are also among them.

However, have we ever examined the annual pass rates of these schools individually? How many can consistently boast a minimum of 35% pass rates in external examinations? If a school underperforms for three or four consecutive years, should it continue operating as a serious learning institution? This is an area where the MBSSE should intervene to ensure value for money and quality service delivery.

What Could Be Done?

First, a minimum performance threshold should be established for government and government-assisted schools. Each school should achieve at least a 35% pass rate in external examinations. These examinations include the NPSE, BECE, and WASSCE. Any school failing to meet this threshold for three consecutive years should face demotion. They could be suspended, or closed eventually if poor performance persists. There should be no excuses. Schools now receive full tuition support from the consolidated fund. They are also provided with learning materials and textbooks. This approach would encourage continuous assessment and accountability.

Another major issue is syllabus coverage. The syllabus is intended to guide both teachers and students throughout the academic year. Yet, many students sit for external examinations without completing it. Teachers should provide typed and detailed syllabi to students by the second class meeting. These syllabi should be broken down into weekly activities, enabling the Teaching Service Commission to monitor instructional progress.

Students also bear responsibility. Those preparing for external examinations should obtain the official WAEC syllabus. They should use it to track progress and identify weaknesses. It can also guide their revision. Supplementary question-and-answer textbooks can further improve exam preparedness, as consistent practice enhances performance.

School proprietors and missionaries must also focus on effective institutional management. Are qualified, result-oriented teachers being hired? Are class sizes inflated for financial gain? Are teachers monitored to ensure syllabus completion? Where shortcomings exist, school leadership should be held accountable. Replacing ineffective administrators with capable and energetic leaders could foster competition and improve learning outcomes.

Parents, as stakeholders, should carefully evaluate schools before enrolling their children. Underperforming schools should be avoided, as lost academic time cannot be recovered. Parents are encouraged to use education performance data to identify high-performing institutions.

Conclusion

To create a result-oriented and effective education system in Sierra Leone, the three pillars must collaborate. The guardians are the education ministries. The service providers include schools and parents. The beneficiaries are the pupils and students. The ministries should set and enforce performance thresholds through the Teaching Service Commission. School proprietors should ensure effective management and hold administrators accountable for persistent poor performance. Finally, students must actively engage with their syllabi. This active engagement helps avoid incomplete coverage of learning materials. It also improves success in both classwork and external examinations.