Ambassador Hachem Abdelhafid of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria paid a courtesy visit to Sierra Leone’s Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Dr. Haja Ramatulai Wurie, to announce the provision of twelve (12) scholarships for Sierra Leonean students.
The scholarships are divided into two categories: ten for undergraduate studies and two for vocational training.
During the courtesy visit, Dr. Haja Ramatulai Wurie welcomed the delegation and acknowledged the Ambassador’s visit as a timely contribution to Sierra Leone’s Human Capital Development (HCD) agenda. She underscored the importance of educational and cultural exchanges and reaffirmed the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education’s commitment to facilitating and supporting the scholarship initiative.
Ambassador Abdelhafid, whose mission in Freetown commenced just four months ago with the opening of the Algerian Embassy, stated that the scholarships mark the resumption of Algeria’s support for Sierra Leonean students, a program previously paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He outlined that Algeria offers 10 undergraduate and two vocational training scholarships across various disciplines, including science, technology, medicine, mathematics, and architecture.
To facilitate the selection process, the Ambassador requested that the Ministry nominate at least 15 candidates, from whom 12 will be selected based on established academic criteria. He also presented a list of eligible fields of study offered at Algerian universities.
While many of the academic programs are taught in English, some require proficiency in French. For such cases, Ambassador Abdelhafid assured that Algeria provides free French language courses ranging from six months to one year.
In response to a question from the Minister regarding students with disabilities, the Ambassador confirmed that Algerian universities are generally accessible and inclusive, provided the academic requirements are met.
Dr. Wurie thanked the Ambassador and his delegation for the renewed engagement and expressed the ministry’s readiness to work closely on the nomination process.
She further expressed interest in exploring long-term academic partnerships, including staff exchanges, joint research initiatives, and institutional collaborations between universities and training institutions in both countries.
Credit: Correspondent-Richard Williams
