China Launches Vocational Education and Teacher Training Seminar in Freetown
Aaron Parker China has launched a vocational education and teacher capacity-building seminar in Freetown as part of efforts to strengthen Sierra Leone’s technical education system, improve teaching standards and equip young people with practical skills for employment.
The seminar is sponsored by China’s Ministry of Commerce and organised by the International Cooperation Centre (ICC) of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), with support from the Chinese Embassy in Sierra Leone, the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education and other relevant institutions.
The initiative brings together government officials, Chinese experts and education stakeholders to promote knowledge-sharing, professional training and stronger cooperation between Sierra Leonean and Chinese technical institutions.
Delivering the keynote address, Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Haja Ramatulai Wurie, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), describing it as essential to economic transformation, job creation, entrepreneurship and industrial development.
She identified five priority areas for improving the country’s TVET system: modernising vocational education curricula, developing practical workshops and technical training facilities, strengthening instructors’ capacity, aligning training programmes with labour market needs, and expanding institutional partnerships and technology transfer with China.
The Minister noted that sectors such as agriculture, construction, mining, manufacturing, ICT, renewable energy and tourism require workers with relevant technical and practical skills. She stressed that academic qualifications alone are insufficient to meet the country’s development needs without practical competencies, innovation and problem-solving abilities.
Drawing lessons from China’s industrial development, Wurie called for stronger collaboration between technical institutions and industries, updated training programmes and continuous professional development for teachers and instructors. She also urged participants to share the knowledge acquired during the seminar with colleagues and students across the country.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Song Guoxuan, Director of Industry at the ICC of China’s National Development and Reform Commission, reaffirmed China’s commitment to supporting Sierra Leone’s human capital development through training and educational cooperation.
He disclosed that more than 400 Sierra Leonean officials from over 10 ministries had benefited from previous training programmes organised in China, covering areas including economic development and institutional capacity-building. He said the current seminar would focus on TVET development, industry-education integration and teacher capacity-building.
Also speaking, Mr Franklyn Fawundu, Deputy Director-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, described technical and vocational education as a critical tool for national development, employment creation and poverty reduction. He emphasised that competent and well-equipped teachers are essential to delivering quality education and responding to technological and industrial changes.
Meanwhile, Mr Wang Peng, Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy in Sierra Leone, disclosed that China had supported more than 2,000 Sierra Leonean officials, scholars, technical personnel and young people to receive training in China over the past three years. He added that 442 Sierra Leonean students had benefited from various Chinese government scholarships.
Mr Wang encouraged participants to actively engage with Chinese experts, apply the knowledge gained to their respective institutions and share their experiences with other teachers and students. He reaffirmed China’s commitment to deepening cooperation with Sierra Leone in vocational education and youth skills development.
The seminar forms part of broader efforts to strengthen the longstanding relationship between Sierra Leone and China, particularly in education, technology transfer and human capital development.
It is expected to improve the capacity of teachers and instructors, promote practical skills training and support the development of a workforce capable of contributing to Sierra Leone’s industrialisation, economic diversification and employment needs.
