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Sierra Leone Education Innovation Challenge (SLEIC) ended this week with landmark results in primary education across the country. The closing event, hosted by the British High Commissioner Josephine Gauld, celebrated the conclusion of a three-year journey that has fundamentally reshaped the delivery of primary education in Sierra Leone.
Launched as a $18 million partnership between the Government of Sierra Leone and the Education Outcomes Fund (EOF), SLEIC has reached over 134,000 children across 325 public primary schools.
The closing ceremony served as a powerful testament to the impact of results-based financing. Unlike traditional models that fund activities, SLEIC focused on outcomes, paying providers specifically for measurable learning gains in literacy and numeracy.
According to the Minister of Basic Education, Conrad Sackey, the results speak volumes, pointing to data that shows SLEIC-supported schools have outperformed comparable programs globally. Key evaluation findings include significant improvements in student performance, particularly in mathematics which the MBSSE believes is a proof that quality teaching and data-driven decisions can protect learning even during challenging economic times and targeted support that has helped close the gender learning gap for girls in many districts.
Borrowing from an African proverb, Minister Sackey highlighted that “A tree is judged by the strength of its roots, not the spread of its branches.’’
He stressed that the evidence from SLEIC provides a “blueprint for action” for the MBSSE. He added that the blueprint prioritises foundational literacy and provides unwavering support for educators to ensure every child can read, write, and count.
Sackey also stated that the Government of Sierra Leone reaffirmed its commitment to taking these proven, impactful approaches from the pilot stage to national policy. He said the partnership with EOF represents a shift toward a future where every dollar invested is inextricably linked to tangible returns on a child’s potential.
“As the program concludes, the message to the international community and local stakeholders was clear: ‘When the drumbeat changes, the dance must also change.’ With the ‘drumbeat of evidence” now established, Sierra Leone is ready to move into a more coordinated, data-driven era of Free Quality School Education.” Minister Sackey stated.
