By Hassan Osman Kargbo
The Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education has expressed delight in receiving the new Irish Ambassador to Sierra Leone, His Excellency Patrick McManus, during a courtesy visit to the Ministry on Monday. The meeting, which was also attended by Chief Education Officer Mr. Edward Kpakra, focused on strengthening the partnership between Sierra Leone and Ireland in advancing education.
The discussion covered key areas of collaboration under the Free Quality School Education programme, a flagship government initiative supported by Ireland. Both parties reaffirmed their shared commitment to improving learning outcomes and expanding access to education for all children in Sierra Leone.
During the engagement, the Minister highlighted several national education priorities, including efforts to boost foundational learning in early grades, expand accelerated learning programmes for out-of-school children, and enhance teacher quality through the newly introduced Essential Exams for Teachers.
He further emphasized the importance of the school feeding programme, particularly in the northern regions, noting that it plays a critical role in keeping children healthy and motivated to stay in school.
Ambassador McManus expressed strong personal interest in Sierra Leone’s education reforms and indicated his eagerness to visit schools across the country to witness the progress being made.
In closing, the Minister thanked the Government of Ireland for its continued partnership and support to the education sector. He expressed optimism that under Ambassador McManus’ leadership, cooperation between the two nations would continue to grow, ensuring that every child in Sierra Leone has access to quality education and lifelong learning opportunities.
