By MTHE Comms Unit
In a meeting held on 4th May, 2021 at its Conference Room, the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education formerly intimated Church of Jesus Christ- Later Days Saints (CJCLDS) on their required help from development partners to strengthen the country’s education sector.
Deliberating on the purpose of the meeting, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education, Mr. Gilbert Cooper, thanked CJCLDS for the help they have been rendering to the country over the years, referencing MTHE’s previous engagement trips with them, which led to the Ministry’s realisation of some tools and equipment up to the tune of $20,000. He noted the importance of Technical, Vocational, Education and Training (TVET) as far as national economic growth is concerned, adding that people trained in the areas of skills have a better opportunity of employing themselves, which is quite uncommon in the mainstream.
The West African Humanitarian Specialist in the Church of Jesus Christ-Later Days Saints, Mr. Mahmud Labinjo, uttered his heartfelt honour to be in such a strategic meeting. He mentioned that Later Days Saints’ Humanitarian Unit was established to provide aid to countries in need, and as a Unit, they have over the years undertaken many projects in Sierra Leone, approximated about $10 Million in the areas of education, clean water, food security, refugee issues etc. He encouraged MTHE to articulate its needs to them so as to enable them fathom how to render support.
In her PowerPoint presentation, the Director of Research, Planning and Development, Madam SiaFasuluku, started off by giving a brief background on MTHE’s establishment, noting President Bio’s prior commitment to dividing the Ministry of Education Science and Technology into two distinct but interrelated Ministries that would be mandated to pay attention to specific areas. She noted that the Ministry would require help in the area of providing the manpower needed for the labour market, providing the requisite equipment and tools to enhance the practical work of the Ministry, ensuring that instructors are well trained, engaging in agro-business, working with the Church to get Rtd. Professors come back to the country and help develop the education sector etc.
According to Madam Fasuluku, there has been a gap in the area of Masters students supervising other Masters students, especially in research areas, stressing the need to have more Professors in the country to address such gap.
