By Ibrahim Sesay

The Chinese Embassy in Freetown has on Friday, 28 November, 2025, launched a three-week China-aided capacity-building course in automobile repair and maintenance, bringing together 50 participants drawn from both the public and private sectors.

The opening ceremony took place at the Sierra Leone Foreign Service Academy and marks China’s first technical overseas training programme in the country in nearly five years. The initiative is designed to expose participants to modern vehicle diagnostics, engine management systems, routine maintenance procedures, fault-finding techniques and practical repair sessions aimed at improving the overall quality of automotive services across Sierra Leone.

Speaking at the ceremony, Wang Peng, Economic and Commercial Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy, described the training as a significant milestone in China–Sierra Leone cooperation. He noted that the programme aligns with the implementation of the 2024 Forum on China–Africa Cooperation’s ten major partnership action plans, stressing that bilateral relations between the two nations are “at their best in history.”

Wang Peng emphasized China’s continued investment in Sierra Leone’s human-resource development. “Since 2025, we have recommended 12 Sierra Leonean students for Chinese Government Scholarships and 103 professionals for Ministry of Commerce scholarships. These figures rank among the highest globally,” he said. He further disclosed that over 500 Sierra Leonean officials and technicians have been invited to China this year for short-term training programmes.

Encouraging the trainees, Wang Peng urged them to fully utilize the 21-day course. “Cherish this learning opportunity, build friendships with your Chinese instructors and become industry leaders who will contribute to improving livelihoods in Sierra Leone,” he advised. He also expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education for their support in facilitating the programme.

Representing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Deputy Director General, Franklyn Brima Fawundu, commended the Chinese Government for its sustained partnership. He described the training as further evidence of the long-standing relations between the two countries.

Franklyn Brima Fawundu highlighted the growing need for consistent, high-quality automotive services in Sierra Leone, fueled by rising vehicle ownership. He pointed out that many vehicles donated by China had fallen into disrepair due to limited local expertise. “We have received vehicles from the Chinese Government that ended up derelict simply because local mechanics lacked the knowledge to repair them,” he said. He appealed to the participants to take the training seriously, reminding them that clients expect value for money.

Delivering an institutional overview, Yan Ruohong, Vice President of Hunan International Business Vocational College, noted that the college, founded 71 years ago, has trained more than 10,000 participants from over 120 developing countries through China’s Belt and Road Initiative. He revealed that more than 400 Sierra Leoneans have benefitted from previous training programmes offered by the institution, including two successful overseas sessions held in Freetown in 2018 and 2019.

Yan Ruohong underscored the importance of automobile maintenance as a core vocational skill for national development. “This programme, running from November 28 to December 18, will equip participants with essential repair knowledge through systematic instruction and extensive hands-on training,” he said. He assured that expert instructors from the Hunan Automotive Engineering Vocational University would provide a supportive, practice-oriented learning environment.

The Director of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education (MTHE) also addressed participants, highlighting ongoing Government reforms aimed at transforming the TVET sector. He disclosed that more than 70 competency standards have been developed to upgrade training quality across various disciplines.

He also cited the establishment of a Centre of Excellence for Automobile Maintenance at the Freetown Polytechnic’s Kissy campus, equipped with modern technology to advance skills development. However, he stressed existing gaps in regulation and standardization. “Several formal and non-formal trainings have been ongoing, but many are not standardized. That is why we reviewed the regulatory framework to ensure quality assurance, relevance of training and alignment with international best practices,” he noted.

Encouraging participants to embrace the programme, the Director described them as “nation-builders whose capacity must be strengthened for Sierra Leone to progress.” He reaffirmed the Government’s appreciation for China’s continued support to TVET development.

The 21-day training course is expected to significantly bolster participants’ technical competencies while contributing to strengthening Sierra Leone’s automotive repair sector and improving service delivery nationwide. https://thecalabashnewspaper.com/chinese-embassy-rolls-out-first-overseas-technical-training-in-five-years-for-local-auto-technicians/