Post a comment The Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Conrad Sackey, on Thursday met with the newly elected national executive of the Sierra Leone Muslim Brotherhood (SLMB), marking a significant step toward strengthening collaboration with one of the country’s oldest indigenous Islamic missions.
Established in 1959, the SLMB has, for over six decades, played a vital role in Sierra Leone’s education sector, building schools, training pupils, and serving communities across the country regardless of tribal affiliation.
During the engagement, Minister Sackey highlighted the scale and importance of the mission’s contribution, noting that the SLMB currently has hundreds of government-approved teachers deployed across all sixteen districts, from Kailahun to Kambia, Bo to the Western Area.
“This is not a small mission. This is a pillar of our education system that had gone quiet for too long,” the Minister stated.
The meeting went beyond formalities, focusing on critical challenges affecting Arabic education in Sierra Leone. Discussions included difficulties faced by foreign Arabic teachers, the administration of mission schools, and concerns over the transfer of teachers without prior consultation with the mission.
Land ownership issues also featured prominently. The SLMB raised concerns about mission lands that were absorbed or occupied during periods when the organisation lacked a strong voice to defend its interests. Minister Sackey urged the leadership to outline a clear plan for reclaiming such properties, noting that the dialogue on the matter is still at an early stage.
The Minister described the engagement as a practical step toward rebuilding a productive partnership, emphasising that national development requires sustained collaboration rather than symbolic gestures.
“Not a photo opportunity, but a working relationship rebuilt brick by brick, for the sake of every pupil sitting in an SLMB classroom today,” he said.
The meeting concluded with a renewed commitment from both sides to strengthen cooperation in advancing education, particularly within the framework of Arabic and Islamic learning in Sierra Leone.
“SLMB, welcome back to the table. Let us get to work,” Sackey added.
