Sierra Leone’s Minister of Youth Affairs, Mohamed Orman Bangura has led a delegation to the 10th Commonwealth Youth Ministers Meeting (10CYMM) held in London.
The Commonwealth Youth Ministers Meeting is held every four years, addressing Youth Policy for Commonwealth member states. The meeting also examines broader social and sustainable development goals, from a youth perspective.
The five-day long conference began with a working breakfast meeting between Minister Bangura and his colleague Ministers with the Speaker of the British Houses of Parliament, The Rt. Hon. Sir Lindsay Hoyle, and The Right Hon. Baroness Patricia Scotland, Commonwealth Secretary General.
That morning session ended with a tour of Westminster Palace.
Meanwhile another session was unfolding at Marlborough House where Senior Officers of national Commonwealth Youth Ministries met to deliberate on relevant issues pertaining to youth engagement, youth empowerment and youth development, across the board.
The Senior Officers took a detailed look at the Progress made so far since the formulation of the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Policy, delving into overviews of Resolutions agreed upon at the 9CYMM and at past Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings (CHOGMs).
They Senior Officers looked at the Commonwealth Youth Programme Report 2018-2023, with discussions centered on the subject. There were also simultaneous Roundtable Discussions on several relevant Sub-themes.
Sierra Leone took part in the Education component and actively engaged with other panelists in very productive discussions based on this fundamental subject. Issues highlighted included challenges associated with access to Quality Education.
Concerns were also expressed over the disadvantaging dichotomy between rural and urban communities and developing and developed nations. The emphasis was on adopting practices that would leave no one behind, using Education and sound Policy as the propelling tools.
Also highlighted in this segment of today’s meeting were the issues of digital divide, cyber security concerns, gender inequality and curriculum mismatch. The panelists duly explored the troubling incompatibility between skills taught and the changing demands of the modern job market.
Emphasis were placed on the necessity of amicably bridging the gap of perception and expectation between Learners, Educators, and Employers, as a pathway to addressing some of the perennial issues raised.
Incorporating disability rights into national educational curricular was underlined, as well as the provision of a flexible means to ensure life-long access to education.
The 10CYMM is set to continue its proceedings tomorrow, with an agenda that promises to produce engaging discussions on policy and thematic issues, enlightening site visits, and the unveiling of a grand Expo, with everything culminating in the highly anticipated Commonwealth Awards Ceremony.
As this dynamic forum unfolds, it pledges to chart a course towards a brighter and more inclusive future for the youth of Commonwealth nations.
