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.