By Hajaratu S. Bangura
The education sector continues to record progress, with the Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Conrad Sackey, highlighting key achievements and ongoing reforms during the Ministry of Information and Civic Education’s Civic Day Series in Falaba District on Tuesday, March 24, 2026.
Delivering his address, the Minister announced a major partnership with Emerging World Wide, backed by a $120 million investment to provide computer tablets to schools across the country, with Falaba among the beneficiary districts. He noted that the initiative is part of broader efforts to integrate technology into learning and improve educational outcomes nationwide.
He also pointed to significant national gains, including an increase in the number of schools from 10,000 to about 13,700, with over 3.4 million pupils currently enrolled and more than 12,000 teachers recruited. He emphasized the impact of the Free Quality Education programme in removing financial barriers for families, alongside the Radical Inclusion Policy, which supports children with disabilities, pregnant girls and those from poor and rural communities. He added that in some areas, girls’ enrollment now surpasses that of boys.
At the district level, Falaba recorded strong performance, particularly in examination readiness. All seven senior secondary schools successfully submitted their Continuous Assessment Scores (CAS), ensuring that no student will miss public examinations. Enrollment figures stand at 711 boys and 851 girls, while examination infrastructure has expanded significantly, with NPSE centres increasing from three in 2018 to 23 centres now, alongside 13 BECE centres and five WASSCE centres.
The Minister further outlined progress in teacher development, including the reassessment of 7,500 teachers for salary upgrades and the training of 28,000 teachers in literacy and numeracy, while acknowledging delays in payroll placement and exam logistics. He apologized for recent challenges and assured that corrective measures are being implemented, including stronger partnerships with institutions such as the World Bank and collaboration with the defence sector for logistics support.
Reaffirming government’s commitment, he stressed that efforts are focused on expanding access, improving quality and ensuring that no child is left behind, particularly in districts like Falaba.
