AYV News, November 21, 2024
The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED) convened stakeholders, Development Partners and representatives from Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), among others for the validation of the Draft National Human Capital Development (HCD) Strategy at the Foreign Service Academy.
This event marked a pivotal step toward institutionalising comprehensive mechanisms for implementing Human Capital Development in Sierra Leone. The draft strategy builds on progress made since the launch of the Human Capital Development Hub in May this year, aiming to solidify the government’s flagship initiative under President Dr. Julius Maada Bio.
The strategy provides a framework to strengthen coordination, enhance data management, mobilize resources, and improve service delivery across sectors critical to Human Capital Development. These include education, healthcare, agriculture, gender equality, social protection, and climate resilience.
Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Ms. Kenyeh Barlay, emphasized that the HCD program is central to the government’s vision for sustainable development. She stated, “This strategy is for the people of Sierra Leone. It is our roadmap to advancing education, healthcare, agriculture, and youth empowerment while addressing gender equality and climate resilience.”
Madam Barlay also highlighted the government’s achievements under the HCD program since 2018. In education, the Free Quality Education initiative, along with Radical Inclusion and Foundational Learning programs, has improved enrollment, transition, and completion rates across schools, achieving gender parity in primary and junior secondary education. In healthcare, budgetary allocation has increased from 6% to 11% between 2019 and 2023.
The government has also recruited additional healthcare workers and established dialysis stations, resulting in significant reductions in maternal mortality and an increase in life expectancy.
In her remarks, Minister Barlay reaffirmed the government’s commitment to maintaining these gains. She explained that the strategy aligns with the Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP) 2024-2030, which emphasizes education, healthcare, food security, gender equality, social protection, and youth empowerment.
She noted that the production of a standalone National HCD Strategy is a critical step in operationalizing the MTNDP, and it addresses challenges related to coordination, data collection, resource mobilization, and coherence in service delivery.
She expressed gratitude to all stakeholders, stating, “I would like to acknowledge the hard work of the Director of Human Capital Development at the Presidential Delivery Unit, State House, and the HCD Secretariat housed at MoPED for producing this comprehensive draft document. Let us all work together to ensure that the final document reflects national realities and addresses the needs of Sierra Leone’s people.”
Professor Alpha Wurie, former Minister of Technical and Higher Education, commended MoPED, Statistics Sierra Leone, and the National Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate for their continued collaboration. He called for greater efforts in data collection for education, healthcare, and other sectors to guide government policies and advance sustainable Human Capital Development.
Dr. Abdul Jibril Njai, the Ministry of Health’s HCD focal point, outlined the significant progress made in healthcare, particularly in child health protection, maternal mortality reduction, and the decentralization of health services. He reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to collaborating with all relevant stakeholders to achieve the strategy’s objectives.
Representing the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education, Ibrahim Saffa emphasized the importance of advancing quality, skills-based, vocational, and technical education that aligns with job market demands. He called on MDAs to strengthen collaboration and dedicate shared efforts to ensure the successful realization of the HCD strategy.
Namisa K. Kramer, Director of Human Capital Development at the Presidential Delivery Unit, Office of the President, expressed her appreciation to MoPED and other stakeholders for their relentless efforts in actualizing the strategy. She reaffirmed President Bio’s commitment to empowering Sierra Leone’s future generations.
Deputy Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Emily Gogra, highlighted improvements in the education sector driven by the Free Quality Education program. She noted that these initiatives have led to increased school enrollment, particularly among girls, and reduced dropout rates through re-enrollment programs. She also emphasised the ministry’s efforts to further decentralize education services.
Youth Adviser to the President, Desmond Pessima, described Human Capital Development as the backbone of Sierra Leone’s development agenda. He emphasized the importance of placing youth at the center of these efforts and appealed for continued collaboration among all MDAs.
Joseph Samah, Acting Director of Planning, Policy, and Research at MoPED, detailed the provisions of the draft strategy. He appealed to participants to validate the document and provide constructive input to enhance its content and ensure its relevance.
The validation of the Draft National Human Capital Development Strategy is a testament to the government’s commitment to investing in people and advancing sustainable socioeconomic transformation in Sierra Leone.
