By Ibrahim Sesay

The Civil Rights Coalition, through its National Coordinator, Alphonso Manley, has presented a comprehensive report on the Free Education Project, a $70 million multi-donor trust fund designed to support the development of Sierra Leone’s education sector. The findings were unveiled during a press conference held in Freetown on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, in collaboration with the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education.

The Free Education Project, launched in 2021 and scheduled to end in 2026, is funded by the World Bank, Irish Aid, the United States Embassy and the Government of Germany. It is managed by the World Bank through a dedicated Project Implementation Unit and covers seven components, including policy governance, teacher development, foundational learning and COVID-19 response.

In his presentation, Alphonso Manley outlined notable achievements, including the development of the Education Sector Plan, the catchment area policy, school approval guidelines and school subsidy guidelines. He reported that the project has facilitated the construction of over 560 classrooms, trained more than 10,000 teachers and provided teaching and learning materials to support early grade literacy.

Alphonso Manley also highlighted progress in tackling gender-based violence in schools, citing the training of School Management Committees and the establishment of a toll-free reporting line.

However, Alphonso Manley noted persistent challenges, such as limited community awareness of key policies, inconsistent monitoring of performance-based school financing, underutilization of school health resources and frequent unavailability of the Ministry’s toll-free education hotline.

Expressing concern about the transformation of long-established teacher training institutions, such as Milton Margai College, into polytechnics, Alphonso Manley warned:

“We need these teacher training colleges. Their transformation from teacher training college to polytechnic undermines the training of qualified teachers which is essential for improving education quality.”

Addressing COVID-19 interventions, Alphonso Manley acknowledged the impact of the radio teaching programme and the distribution of hygiene kits, while noting that monitoring of those efforts has been limited.

He appealed to development partners to extend the Free Education Project beyond its 2026 deadline, emphasizing that many schools, teachers and regions have yet to fully benefit from its initiatives. He also called for broader inclusion, particularly for special needs schools nationwide.

“Education is not a privilege; education is a right,” Alphonso Manley stressed. “To sustain and expand those gains, donors must consider extending the project to cover more schools, teachers and communities.”

The Free Education Project is aligned with the Education Sector Plan, which runs until September 2026. Project funds are channeled to implementing agencies rather than directly to the Government of Sierra Leone, with the World Bank holding final approval over all activities. https://thecalabashnewspaper.com/civil-rights-coalition-calls-for-extension-of-70-million-free-education-project/