AYV News, December 12, 2024
Sierra Leone yesterday 11th December, 20204 officially launched the National Civic Education Strategy aimed to boost Public Service Access and Digital Literacy in the country.
Officially launching the Strategy, President Dr. Julius Maada Bio said: “At today’s inaugural civic festival, I emphasised the importance of recognising our identity, understanding our origins, and defining our aspirations as a nation. Let us harness our strengths and unite with a common purpose to fulfill our civic responsibilities as Sierra Leoneans and work towards transforming our country. As I launch the civic education strategy, I am confident that we can collaborate effectively, honoring our civic duties and making our nation a source of pride for the world. It’s time to prioritize our Sierra Leone”.
In August this year, the Ministry of Information and Civic Education presented the draft strategy and associated policies. The initiative aims to enhance citizen engagement through digital citizenship, media and information literacy and improved access to public services.
The Strategy includes several key policies: the National Information and Media Policy, the National Records and Archive Policy, and the National Film Policy.
Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah, outlined the core pillars of the strategy during his presentation, highlighting objectives such as increased national participation and cohesion, food security (Feed Salone), climate awareness and justice (Clean Salone), health improvement (Heal Salone), and digital literacy (Digital Salone).
Minister Bah also shared insights from his research on civic education practices in countries like Turkey, China, Morocco, and Rwanda. He said to ensure effective monitoring of the Strategy, the ministry will establish a Steering Committee (SC) comprising youth, civil society representatives, religious leaders, and other key stakeholders.
The Committee, he concluded, will oversee the implementation using a Monitoring Matrix and an activity tracker to monitor progress monthly.
