Sierra Leone: Breaking the cycle of poverty through education

By Dr. David Moinina Sengeh, Sierra Leone

Public education on Public Education: Breaking the Cycle of Poverty through Education

My friend Z is 10 yrs old and in Class 1. She sells fruits with her sister at my office. We became friends as I’ve asked about her schoolwork daily. She proudly told me about her report card yesterday and I invited her to use our @MOBSSE_SL resource/computer center to do her homework. She has no idea that I am the Minister of Education and it’s wonderful engaging with her.

Z finishes school at 12/1pm daily. I asked her sister I. why she brings her to sell. There’s no one else at home- their parents are in Kambia. I. stopped at primary school herself and isn’t functionally literate. She lives with her husband who’s a trader. Z should’ve been in class 5 by now.

This is the cycle of poverty we speak about. By the time Z reaches class 6, she’ll be 15/16.

This is why our government recently approved the Constitutional Review Committee recommendation to make primary and secondary education a right to every Sierra Leonean.

I does not pay school fees for Z and it makes a difference to their household, she said. Hopefully Z does complete secondary school and goes to college or learns skills with which she can earn more than selling fresh fruits.

This is why we do what we do.