The Human Capital Development Incubator (HCDI) at the Directorate of Science, Technology, and Innovation held a two-day workshop to develop the framework and design of the next phase of the HCDI’s Education Innovation Challenge (EIC). The workshop brought together leaders and experts from the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, the Teaching Service Commission and the Education Outcomes Fund for Africa and the Middle East (EOF).
Currently, in the first phase of implementation, the Education Innovation Challenge is Sierra Leone’s $1,5 million investment to improve learning outcomes across 170 schools in 15 districts. HCDI has engaged EOF for support to the EIC’s nationwide scale-up that will run from 2020 to 2023.
The EOF works together with governments to fund innovative education and youth employment readiness programs, such as Sierra Leone’s EIC, on an outcomes basis.
“EOF is enthusiastic about supporting the Education Innovation Challenge because it is a government-led program that is focused on innovation and learning and we are also very emboldened by the government’s overall focus on Free Quality Education and support of a transformative vision, ” said Alina Lipcan, EOF Senior Education Advisor.
The three-year program, which will start in September 2020, is designed to improve and incentivize government-assisted primary schools to learning outcomes. In achieving this, the government will identify schools in need of additional support, set the target outcomes and implement innovative interventions in partnership with NGOs. Unlike the typical fee-for-service model, the Government of Sierra Leone and its partners will only pay for those interventions that improve learning outcomes.
“We are embarking on ground-breaking innovation to bring about significant improvements in learning outcomes. It is worthy to note that innovation has resulted in significant positive advances in education, ” said Dr. Albert C. T. Dupigny, Education Consultant and Advisor, MBSSE.
”Under SDG4, we are to ‘ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all’ and that is why the DSTI-HCD Incubator, MBSSE, TSC, and other service providers through the EIC are developing partnerships with organizations like EOF to develop interventions and approaches that will ensure that by the end of 2030, all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.”
Over the next three years, the Government of Sierra Leone in partnership with EOF will invest additional resources in schools, education partners, administrators, teachers and all players engaged in the ecosystem to ensure that all students have access to inclusive, and quality education.