Tuesday, 5th August 2025
Key Highlights
By: Zacharia Jalloh, Ministry of Information and Civic Education
The Ministry of Information and Civic Education continues to lead government efforts to ensure transparent and timely communication between the government and citizens. In its weekly press briefing held on Tuesday, 5th August 2025, key updates were provided by senior government officials on upcoming national events, education outcomes, teacher recruitment, and national security. The following are the key highlights:
Partnership on the 2026 National Census
Deputy Minister of Information and Civic Education, Bockarie Abdel-Aziz Bawoh, announced a collaborative initiative with Statistics Sierra Leone to develop a joint communications campaign for the 2026 National Census. He disclosed that a two-day workshop was held on July 30th–31st 2025 to craft messages that resonate with the public. The Deputy Minister stressed that the 2026 Census will be digital and inclusive, ensuring broad stakeholder participation.
Release of 2025 NPSE Results
Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Conrad Sackey, reported the release of the 2025 National Primary School Examination (NPSE) results. A total of 171,112 pupils took the exam, representing an increase of over 6,141 candidates compared to the 2024 exam. The number of participating schools also increased from 4,963 in 2024 to 5,139 in 2025. Of those who took the exam, 88,075 were girls (52%) and 82,258 were boys (48%).
Minister Sackey highlighted notable trends in performance. There were 5,735 absentees, up from 4,527 in 2024. The highest T-score in 2025 was 346, compared to 344 in 2024 and 339 in 2023, showing gradual improvement. 128,766 pupils passed above the benchmark score of 230, and 4,483 candidates scored above 300. Government and government-assisted schools performed relatively better than private schools this year. The Minister advised parents to adhere strictly to the official price list for school supplies.
Council of Principals’ Assurance on Price Transparency
Alimatu A. Massaquoi, Public Relations Officer of the Council of Principals of Secondary Schools, assured that schools will display the official price list as soon as it’s received. He also urged the Ministry of Finance to ensure the timely disbursement of school subsidies, reaffirming the Council’s continued support for the Free Quality Education programme.
Introduction of the Teacher Management Information System (TMIS)
Lans Keifala, Chairman of the Teaching Service Commission (TSC), unveiled the Teacher Management Information System (TMIS), a digital platform that enables teachers to submit applications without physical contact. He announced the recruitment of 3,300 teachers in 2025, with 2,000 funded by the government, continuing a trend of 2,000 recruits per year over the last three years.
Also, a new teacher quota system, based on the pupil-teacher ratio, has been introduced to ensure fair distribution of teachers nationwide.
Improvements in Teacher Welfare
Chairman Lans Keifala disclosed that teachers with a Master’s degree will now receive Vice Principal pay, and that the TSC is collaborating with the Sierra Leone Teachers’ Union (SLTU) to provide soft loans at 10% interest rates. Discussions are ongoing with the Ministry of Finance to reintroduce the remote area allowance to encourage rural teaching assignments.
Updates from the Sierra Leone Commission on Arms and Ammunition
Major General (Rtd) Christian Fahim Marah, Commissioner and Registrar of the Sierra Leone Commission on Arms and Ammunition, briefed the public on the Commission’s transition from the National Commission on Small Arms to align with the Arms Trade Treaty and ECOWAS Convention on Arms and Ammunition.
He revealed that 3,900 unserviceable weapons were destroyed in 2025, adding to a total of over 8,500 weapons destroyed in earlier phases. The Commission has introduced a weapon marking system, completed in all regions except the Western Area, to trace arms ownership. Over 1,000 licenses have been issued to private individuals to date.
