Sierra Leone’s Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Conrad Omalikeh Sackey has commenced a development conversation with the Senior Water Supply and Sanitation Specialist of the World Bank, Yitbarek Tessema Memmo.

The issues discussed in the maiden meeting was around the establishment of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene facilities in schools across the country.

Minister Sackey revealed several reasons why every school in the country should either have a tap or a borehole, and key among the reasons he highlighted to the specialist from the Bank included the safeguarding and retention of girls in schools.

According to the minister, this is in line with recent efforts of the ministry to reintegrate out of school girls back to school.

Senior Water Supply and Sanitation Specialist of the World Bank, Yitbarek Tessema Memmo assured the Minister that the World Bank is open to supporting initiatives from the ministry that concern the establishment of the water supply and sanitation facilities in school.

He therefore encouraged the ministry to put together a core team that will work with the bank in developing a concept Note and a collaborative platform to mobilise resources for the supply of safe water in schools.