Official launch of “Access to Education through the Provision of Furniture to Schools and Higher Education Institutions” project

Statement by Fredrick Ampiah (Mr.) 

UNDP Resident Representative

The View, Freetown City Council, 15^th Floor, Freetown, 23^rd July 2025

Honourable Chief Minister

Honourable Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary School

Honourable Minister of Technical and Higher Education

His Excellency, Ambassador of Peoples Republic of China

Representatives from Ministries, Departments and Agencies

District council representatives,

The Fourth Estate,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Distinguished guests.

It’s a great honour and privilege to join you today at the official launch of the project “Access to education through the provision of furniture to schools and higher education institutions”, a transformative initiative aimed at enhancing access to quality education across in Sierra Leone. 

This project is a shining example of what partnership for development can achieve. It reflects the deepening partnership between the Government of Sierra Leone, Government of China, and UNDP founded on a shared vision to accelerate inclusive and equitable education for all children and youth in Sierra Leone. 

The project contributes to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 “Quality Education” and it’s aligned with the priorities outlined in the Government of Sierra Leone Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP) 2024–2030, particularly under the pillar of Human Capital Development, one of the five Big Changers. 

Education is not only right, but the foundation of human capital development and long-term economic growth. When people are able to get quality education they can break from the cycle of poverty. In Sierra Leone, the Government has made significant strides with the Free Quality School Education (FQSE) initiative, which recorded remarkable performance, increasing school enrollment by over one million during the period 2019-2023. This rise in enrollment is expected to quadruple in the coming years. 

Despite the progress, there are still prevailing challenges including inadequate supportive infrastructure for the learning environment in schools and education institutions. 

This project being unveiled today is timely and critical. Through the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund (GDF) and with generous funding from the Government of China, in bid to strength human capital development, 14,000 furniture sets will be provided to primary and secondary schools, and tertiary institutions. The furniture are not merely handouts; they are essential assets for enhancing the supportive infrastructure and learning environments in schools and tertiary institutions in Sierra Leone. 

UNDP is supporting is supporting specific related interventions including: 

1. Establishment of the UniPod - Timbuktoo at Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone to support cutting-edge innovation. This is part of the broader UNDP pan African initiative which will provide opportunities to support up to 1,000 African tech start-ups across the continent with 1 billion US dollars to be invested in the next 10 years.

2. Upskilling programmes targeting over 400 youth, young women and girls in collaboration with vocational institutions including in male dominated fields of mechanical engineering, construction, solar installation, electrical installation, and carpentry. 

3. Development of Curricula for market driven skills training for upskilling youth in productive sectors in collaboration with the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education.

4. Through the Growth Accelerator Programme which focuses on various sectors including Education, two (2) Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) have been supported, including STEM Garage, an innovative learning centre in Bo district which is providing school going young girls with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) skills during holidays; and CIJ Digital Hub which is providing ICT skills to school going children and students in tertiary institutions. 

5. Establishment and equipping of skills centers for persons with disabilities.

Today's launch is more than just a ceremony; it is a rallying call to all partners to support the education sector by fostering environments that empower pupils and students to excel and develop the essential skills for their future careers. Every child and young adult in Sierra Leone should learn in a supportive and well-equipped setting to pursue their academic journeys. Together, we can pave the way for a more educated and prosperous future.

In a special way, I extend heartfelt gratitude and profound appreciation to the Government of China through its Embassy in Sierra Leone, and the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary School, and the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education for the longstanding partnership with UNDP in supporting development agenda of Sierra Leone. 

Thank you for your kind attention.