(Main Class Room Block, Christ The King College, Bo City)

Imagine you were born to a family of modest means, the eldest of five female children with the crushing weight of expectation constantly on your shoulders.

Many would fret at the mere thought, but 14-year-old Mamie Bindi lives and endeavours to thrive in this reality. Resilient, steadfast and hardworking, she bears the hallmarks of an ideal role model and torch bearer for her younger siblings. 

(A Smiling Mamie Bindi)

Mamie is from Bo District, in the Southern Province of Sierra Leone, and is currently a JSS 3 pupil of Vision Academy Junior Secondary School. She is preparing for the upcoming Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) which will determine her admission into Senior Secondary School. It is a welcoming opportunity for her to participate in the pilot of the Learning Passport (LP) and test her mettle against variations of the questions she will soon face.

The Learning Passport is a United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Microsoft-supported digital education platform that provides online and offline access to educational resources via technology devices. LP forms part of UNICEF’s Reimagining Education agenda under the flagship program Generation Unlimited.

(ST Foundation Computer Lab Where BECE Pilot Was Conducted) 

In line with Sierra Leone’s Education Sector Plan 2018-2020, LP looks to make accessible, equitable and quality education available on a large scale. The platform was launched in Sierra Leone in February 2022 

For Mamie and many other children who live in the provinces, this initiative in Bo is a testament to the shared and unrelenting commitment between the Government and UNICEF to advance the frontiers of education for every child across Sierra Leone. The BECE pilot ran for a period of four weeks, involving 100 learners across 10 different locations, which included Christ The King College (CKC) in Bo City. 

( Participants Engaged In Pilot )

Ibrahim Sawaneh a teacher at CKC who coordinated the LP pilot at the lab,  spoke on the benefits of this initiative; “Getting the pupils to participate in simulated digital examinations with automatic results is beneficial to both teachers and pupils; it fosters preparedness of the pupils and helps teachers to identify subject areas which would require increased focus and attention.”

(Messrs. Sawaneh (Extreme Left) & Ade (Extreme Right) Pose With Participants Outside Computer Lab)

Charged with the mandate of transforming Sierra Leone into an innovation and entrepreneurship hub, Bani Forster, LP Project Coordinator at DSTI believes “strong foundations in digital education set the stage for the evolution of future technocrats, innovators and entrepreneurs, hence the need to develop robust interventions that guide their development”. 

UNICEF Sierra Leone’s Innovation Officer and Learning Passport Project Lead, Janice Williams, highlighted the progress made on upscaling access to digital opportunities for children.

“With the pilot of the BECE Learning Passport, we are making progress to deliver on UNICEF’s Reimagine Education agenda. Making digital platforms like the Learning Passport available means taking a bold leap towards making digital learning one of the essential toolkits for every child and young person in Sierra Leone.”

Looking ahead into the future, Mamie hopes to pass her BECE exams and attend the Methodist Girls High School in Freetown. Empowered with the confidence provided by the simulated exams, she feels eager and prepared to attempt the exam; “I am very happy to be part of this transformative process. The pilot helps me to identify subject areas that require increased attention and builds up my computer skills” she affirmed.

It would seem her dream to become an accountant is well on its way to becoming reality.

Carlos Centeno, MIT Governance Lab’s (MIT GOV/LAB) Associate Director of Innovation got a first-hand look at the work being done by several partners in the public sector seeking to implement innovation in the governance structure. These engagements were facilitated by the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation(DSTI).

Centeno’s recently concluded week-long (16th-20th May 2022) visit was centred on strengthening the existing partnership between the MIT Governance Lab and DSTI, whilst examining the implementation models of governance interventions currently ongoing with the National Revenue Authority (NRA), and Office of the Administrator and Registrar General (OARG). The visit also explored the possibility of furthering the partnership between MIT GOV/LAB & the governance innovation community (within the public sector) by deploying a designer from the research lab to work closely with institutions such as DSTI, Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education(MBSSE), the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS),  and Freetown City Council (FCC).

MIT GOV/LAB, in collaboration with DSTI, had designed a two-week Governance Innovation Bootcamp in 2021 which provided an opportunity for 25 public servants from various government Institutions to learn and apply the MIT Gov/Lab Methodology to develop an innovative approach to solving governance challenges and spark a culture of innovation within governance in Sierra Leone. 

Welcoming him, DSTI’s COO, Michala Mackay, commended MIT for its continued support to Sierra Leone’s economic recovery and in particular, their support to DSTI through the Governance Innovation Project which is currently being implemented to provide accelerated services to approximately 7 plus  million Sierra Leoneans. 

“Accelerated Governance continues to face cultural barriers, bureaucratic delays, financial constraints among others. These are obstacles to achieving a whole of government approach to quality service delivery. The Governance Innovation Project is proof we can defy the odds, regardless”, Mackay explained.

Mackay told the Associate Director that DSTI is currently dialoguing with other strands of government to see how lessons drawn from Governance Innovation Project can be funnelled into other areas of development.

Making his statement, Centeno mentioned that the DSTI has been very cooperative in finding lasting solutions to problems affecting governance. He stressed that this commitment is an early hopeful sign of a prosperous future where technology can increase its responsiveness to citizens’ needs.

“We’re very interested in how DSTI is able to operate in a complex environment where technology can serve as a catalyst for positive change in the relationship between citizens and government.” He added “In that sense, we’re researching DSTI’s work at a deeper level, hoping to understand better how governance innovation works.   

Carlos met with different team leads at DSTI to form a more detailed insight about the work culture, challenges and ongoing projects. His week-long visit ended on a high note with an informal meeting with the Chief Innovation Officer. They spent time discussing innovative approaches across all sectors and how to untangle some of the problems faced. The several engagements were geared towards paving the way for meaningful steps to complement the existing dialogue for developing governance resources in Sierra Leone.

SORA Technology has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with The Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) and Njala University, by which drones and accumulated knowledge of SORA Technology contribute to improved health outcomes and human capital development in Sierra Leone.

The MOU, titled “ESTABLISHMENT OF MEDICAL DRONE INFRASTRUCTURE IN SIERRA LEONE”, is based on common views about the huge potential of drones both for solving the bottlenecks of medical supplies in Sierra Leone, and contributing to national digitalization strategies and human capital development. The parties have already been preparing a pilot of their system of drone delivery in Sierra Leone for providing appropriate service of medical supplies in rural areas.

The fixed-wing drone by SORA Technology, is designed not only for delivering medical supplies at long range, but also for aerial monitoring and data collection. The agreement will help contribute to improving drone and digital capabilities of Sierra Leone.

Moreover, SORA Technology is also collaborating with HealthGrid Sierra Leone, an initiative to provide access to electricity, internet connectivity, and other essential services to off-grid health facilities in Sierra Leone. This initiative is organized by USAID Global Development Alliance (GDA) and managed by a multi-sector consortium, including RESOLVE, Orange Sierra Leone, and bechtel.org, World Vision, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health and Sanitization. Synergies with these partners will help SORA Technology realize sustainable drone operations in rural Sierra Leone, and contribute to “Digitization for All” and Universal Health Coverage (UHC) of Sierra Leone.

“We are delighted to be working with DSTI and Njala University to commit not only for medical drone delivery but also for the entire support of the national digital development. This partnership is an important step for us to kick off our mission in Africa. Our drones achieve sustainable support for improving access to medical supplies while spurring digital innovations and transformations in various sectors of Sierra Leone.” (Masaki Umeda, Africa Business Lead, SORA Technology)

“In order to exploit emerging technologies to improve health outcomes, DSTI works with multiple partners to create the enabling environment to seed and test these innovations and develop human capital to effectively engage with these technologies in a Sierra Leone centric way. This partnership will pave the way to train Sierra Leonean drone pilots and data scientists and test and seed the integration of drones into the existing medical supply chain.” (David Manley, Project Coordinator, DSTI)

“Njala University is delighted to partner with SORA Technology and DSTI in the area of drone technology and Data Science to contribute to the healthcare systems and human capital development in Sierra Leone. We are inspired by the amazing collaborative spirit to overcome the significant challenges of deploying drones safely and at scale. It’s incredibly important to build a self-sustaining ecosystem of experts that can support the deployment of drones. It is expected that the partnership will create a national Drone and Data Academy, which will build local capacity, as well as provide young people with the skills to analyse aerial imagery, build and operate drones.” (Thomas Songu, Director of Information & Communication Technology, Njala University)

About the Sierra Leone National Drone Corridor

Sierra Leone’s drone corridor is one of six supported by UNICEF in the world. Launched in November 2019 by DSTI, UNICEF, Njala University, Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority.

As a sandbox where industry, universities, and individuals are able to test the use of drones for imagery, connectivity, and transport. It has so far provided opportunities for learning and exploration of the use of drones in Sierra Leone and continues to work on creating research opportunities for students and fellows.

About Njala University

Njala University (or simply Njala, as it is fondly called), is a rural comprehensive public research university in Sierra Leone, is committed to providing the highest standards of excellence in higher education in Sierra Leone and beyond, fostering intellectual and personal development, and stimulating meaningful research and service to humankind.

Njala University has had a rich history since its establishment in 1964 as a university college based on the model of the American Land Grant University. Since then, it has metamorphosed into one of the leading universities in the country, preparing undergraduate and postgraduate students for careers in a wide variety of specializations including Education, Agricultural Research and Extension, Agricultural Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Community Health Sciences, Social Sciences and Law, Natural Resources Management and in Information Technology, among others. Njala University is a multi-disciplinary university with three campuses – the Njala campus in the Moyamba District, the Bo campus in the Bo District and the newly established Bonthe campus in the Bonthe District. We also operate a location in Freetown.

About SORA Technology

SORA Technology is a Japanese company that utilizes drones and air mobility to promote social transformation after the pandemic of COVID-19.
With the purpose of the realization of Universal Health Coverage and Digital Transformation in Africa and Asia, we build and operate drone-based infrastructure, including their flight management systems. We contribute to solving the problems of inaccessibility and inefficiencies by developing completely new infrastructure centred on drones not only for safe, reliable, and timely transportation of goods but also for the effective management of digital information.

12th February 2022 – The National Commission for Children organised teaching sessions for secondary school pupils from the Children Forum Network (CFN), on the use and associated benefits of the Sierra Leone Learning Passport and E-Upshift Program available at the Digital Learning Hub. 

The Learning Hub is an establishment that aims to address the existing challenge of skills gaps within the workforce by providing more digital learning opportunities. It includes a conducive workspace with free access to 30 computers and a reliable internet connection. The hub is open from Mondays to Fridays from 9 AM- 5 PM at IPAM’s New Building. 

“One of DSTI’s cardinal responsibilities is to foster the sustainable improvement of Sierra Leone’s educational ecosystem through the deployment of digital tools to supplement existing teaching and learning methods.”- Bani Foster, Project Coordinator. 

The Sierra Leone Learning Passport is an online/offline and mobile digital learning platform that provides students with access to past exam questions, and other learning resources to close the gaps in learning disparities and provide digital learning opportunities to all.   

The E-Upshift program contains several essential courses designed to provoke critical thought processes which inspire the resolve to swiftly provide solutions to community problems. Hence, it will feature prominently as a course on another Learning Passport which is tailored to bolster Human Capital Development.

This engagement was conceived to support the pilot phase of Sierra Leone’s Learning Passport recently announced by Chief Innovation Officer (CIO) and Minister of Education, David Sengeh, in partnership with UNICEF on the 1st of February, 2022.

“We are pleased to be part of the process of building a digital future for tomorrow’s leaders.”- Mahmoud Keita, Outreach Child Welfare Officer, NCC. Keita further pledged the commission’s abiding commitment to ensuring that pupils from different schools pay routine visits to the hub and maximize this opportunity.

An alumnus from the Annie Walsh Secondary School, Marion Yeanor Samura noted that the session was very timely and educational, and caters not only for pupils preparing for public exams but also to those interested in acquiring knowledge of computers and digital skills.

The world has grown rapidly towards digital knowledge and with the establishment of 3 more hubs to be announced this month, the Government of Sierra Leone affirms its commitments to boost Human Capital Development to ensure that we are the pioneers of Sierra Leone’s digital future.

As the proud destination of Africa’s 2nd drone corridor and home to the only corridor in West Africa, Sierra Leone has etched its name on the world stage as a committed advocate for integrating drone technology into many aspects of development such as Health, Agriculture, Disaster Response and many more.

In line with this vision to foster drone technology and cultivate Sierra Leone’s first generation of drone/UAV pilots and technicians, the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation devised and executed a two-day training session on the basics of drone technology at the newly established Digital Learning Hub located at the Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM).

The Learning Hub is an establishment that aims to address the existing challenge of skills gaps within the workforce by providing more digital learning opportunities. It includes a conducive workspace with free access to 30 computers and a reliable internet connection. 

The cardinal purpose of these drone training sessions was to curate, encourage and incentivize a group of drone enthusiasts to join the fledgling drone ecosystem. The training sessions were conducted over two days. 

On the first day, participants were instructed on the rudimentary elements of drone technology with detailed descriptions of drone modification and use case adaptation. The second day continued with an informative and thoroughgoing review of the different ways data collected by drones can be leveraged and utilized for public and private sector benefits.

Hafsatu Rakie Sesay is DSTI’s UAV Technical Lead and Sierra Leone’s only certified drone pilot. Speaking on the prospects of the session, she affirmed that she is intrigued by the possibility of mentoring the group and nurturing their budding interests in drones.

When queried on the next steps for the sustainability of this initiative; She confirmed that plans were already in the works to invite this crop of participants to a drone demonstration at the corridor. This demonstration, she continued, will not only allow these participants to interact with international drone pilots and technicians but will similarly put the theories discussed during the training sessions to ardent practice.

Furthermore, all participants will receive a completion certificate. This is undoubtedly a crucial first step in getting these young people to own the process, inspire and transmit these ideas to their colleagues. This feeds directly into the government’s youth-centred agenda and capacitation priorities.

Iyemary Brimah Sallu is the business developer at ECOMED Sierra Leone and is one of the participants. Iyemary is fascinated by drones and hopes to take up a career in aviation.

Courses like this can empower students with access to information, job opportunities, and services that invariably improve their living standard whilst enhancing opportunities for data gathering and analysis for more targeted and effective problem-solving strategies. – Iyemary Brimah Sallu

In hindsight, the timeliness of this training cannot be overemphasized because as government rethinks and realigns its development strategy around innovative solutions, there be will be a surge in the demand for these skills, this demand will in essence achieve the overarching objective of the learning hub which is to reduce skills deficit for tomorrow’s job market squarely.