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The Ministry of Technical and Higher Education (MTHE) and the Ministry of Sports have renewed their commitment to reviving tertiary sports in Sierra Leone through stronger collaboration, improved infrastructure, and the reintroduction of inter-collegiate and inter-university competitions.
The commitment was made during a strategic meeting in Freetown involving officials from both ministries and the National Sports Authority (NSA), where participants discussed the role of sports in youth empowerment, skills development, employment creation, and national development.
Representing the Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Dr. Haja Ramatulai Wurie, Deputy Minister Sarjoh Aziz Kamara said both ministries have a shared responsibility to create opportunities for students in universities, colleges, and polytechnics through education and sports.
He called for stronger implementation of sports policies through coordinated planning, improved facilities, resource mobilisation, and structured sporting calendars. He also highlighted the reopening of parts of the National Stadium as an opportunity to expand training and competition in football, athletics, and other disciplines.
Kamara noted that investment in tertiary sports can help reduce youth involvement in social vices by providing constructive opportunities for development. He also revealed plans for a modern sporting complex as part of Fourah Bay College’s bicentenary celebrations in 2027.
Minister of Sports Hon. Augusta James-Teima welcomed the renewed partnership, describing the relationship between sports and education as essential to national development.
She said the absence of inter-varsity and inter-collegiate competitions has created a gap in the country’s sports development system, noting that discussions have already started to revive such competitions, including regional tournaments aimed at identifying talents for national and international competitions.
NSA Executive Director Mohamed Alphaka Conteh, Esq., described the engagement as timely, calling for a national approach that integrates sports into education, youth empowerment, and economic development.
Conteh urged improved oversight of sports funds, the establishment of sports departments and centres of excellence in tertiary institutions, and academic programmes that create sustainable career opportunities for young people.
The NSA reaffirmed its commitment to providing technical support and strengthening collaboration between education and sports authorities.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to develop a roadmap for reviving tertiary sports, expanding opportunities for young people, identifying future national talents, and positioning sports as a driver of national development.
