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The Millennium Challenge Corporation of the United State of America has scored Sierra Leone 92 percent in Primary Education Expenditures in the Fiscal Year 2022 compared to the abysmal 27 percent scored by Sierra Leone in the Fiscal Year 2017.
The 2022 MCC report shows that Sierra Leone passed 13 out of the 20 indicators upon which governments are independently assessed to determine their eligibility for multi-million dollar grants from the United State Government.
The 2021 MCC scorecard also shows an increase in Girl’s Primary Education Completion Rate from 41 percent in 2017 to 67 percent in 2021.
“This didn’t come as a surprise to us considering the resources and efforts the government is putting towards primary education under the leadership of President Julius Maada Bio. For us as a ministry, this landmark achievement means more work and we will continue to build on what we have achieved thus far”, according to the Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education Dr. David Moinina Sengeh.
In August 2018, the government launched its flagship Free Quality School Education (FQSE) program allowing every child to attend government and government-assisted schools, tuition-free families. Since its introduction, the government’s combined spending on national examinations (NPSE, BECE, and WASSCE) and tuition has increased by over 400 percent (4X).
The FQSE program has resulted in a tremendous increase in student enrolment nationwide. The number of learners enrolled in schools increased by almost 800,000 due mainly to the commencement of the FQSE.
The education sector data also reveal a significant increase in the number of schools approved for Government support. 53.4% of pre-primary, 78.7% of primary, 76.7% of junior secondary, and 80.4% of senior secondary schools are now approved- meaning they can receive tuition subsidies, textbooks, and other learning interventions. In 2018, less than half of the schools across basic and senior secondary were approved to receive government support.
“The support we’ve got for education in the last couple of years is unprecedented. We have large government commitments, have the largest multi-donor trust fund ever at USD 72million with five major development partners, and now see some private sector contributions as well. Recently, we became eligible for up to a $40m GPE transformation grant because of the work we have done. Also, Sierra Leone is implementing the largest Education Outcomes Funds ever which is eighteen million United State Dollars”, Dr. David Moinina Sengeh said.
MCC’s results framework is designed to foster learning and accountability, and it has served as a model for global dialogue about development results and aid effectiveness for over a decade.
MCC’s Board assesses individual country commitment to ruling justly, investing in people, and economic freedom using policy indicators compiled into country scorecards.
MCC is committed to delivering sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction throughout the entire lifecycle of its investments. MCC’s evidence-based approach is rooted in that mission, and its comprehensive results framework seeks to measure, collect and report on the outputs, outcomes, and impacts of MCC investments.
