Sierra Leone’s Deputy Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, 2, Madam Mamusu Patricia Komeh-Massaquoi, addressed the Regional Data and Community Development Forum in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, where she highlighted ongoing government’s efforts in improving the Human Capital through educating Sierra Leoneans.
The inaugural Forum, which focuses on the use of data for sustainable community development and enhancing the quality of life, is held under the patronage of His Highness, Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah.
While addressing a panel on “Overcoming Unemployment with a Click”, the Deputy Minister said that the government’s Free Quality Education initiative and its components, like the free tuition, school feeding, and provision of teaching and learning materials, had all increased access to education in the country, notwithstanding the challenges.
She also discussed key government initiatives already introduced to provide skills training and job opportunities for young people, including the Youth Employment Support Project, National Youth Service, Sierra Leone Opportunities for Business Action, and Boosting Agriculture and Food Security Project, among others. She added that these interventions had enabled young people to start up small businesses, improved access to the market, built networks and contributed to national development.
The Deputy Minister again spoke of President Dr Julius Maada Bio’s policies and reforms on women empowerment and economic participation while adding that the recent Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act had helped to increase the number of women in politics and governance, protect the welfare of women and girls, improve the educational standards among girls and create space for women’s participation in national development.
