November 4th 2020 – The Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) of Sierra Leone and EDACY launch a digital skills program – “Digital Foundations for Public Service Program” to provide Sierra Leone government employees with access to digital skills training.

COVID-19 has altered the technological landscape of many industries. Digital technology is now the centre of operation for many industries. In light of such transformations, there is a pressing need for public servants to upskill or re-skill in order to have the necessary digital skills and digital mindset to contribute in building and fostering opportunities in the public initiatives during and post-COVID.

His Excellency the President, Dr. Julius Maada Bio’s Human Capital Development Agenda aims to equip and enable Sierra Leoneans to acquire the necessary skills sets that would make them competitive in the twenty-first-century workforce and global economy. In support of this, DSTI in partnership with other government stakeholders has identified the upscaling of the public sector workforce as essential for much-needed capacity building and preparation for the ‘Future of Work’ in government services.

In this regard, DSTI has partnered with EDACY to provide an opportunity for public servants in Sierra Leone to undertake and earn a certification on Digital Foundations for Public Service. 250 participants will be part of a first phase and the possibility to expand to more public servants will be discussed before phase one resumes.

Michala Mackay, the Director and Chief Operating Officer of DSTI, asserted that, continuous learning and capacity building in the public sector is a must in order for Sierra Leone to drive a robust innovative agenda. Opportunities of this nature are welcoming as the knock-on effect in institutional strengthening and ultimately improved government service delivery is assured …

Dr. Moinina David Sengeh, Chief Innovation Officer and Sierra Leone’s Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education also added,  As policy leaders in the 21st century, we need the right skills, language and acumen to solve the very complex problems we face today. While these problems often transcend technology, innovation is critical for developing impactful solutions. This is why we see very senior government officials including cabinet ministers and heads of agencies showing interest in these programs 

Said Temitope Ola – Founder and President, EDACY.At EDACY, we believe that access to great development opportunities in today’s digital world comes from the right learning experiences, mixing digital tools, collaborative learning and peer reviews. We launched the Digital Foundations for Public Services Program with the desire to help African governments with high-quality training. We are now delighted to collaborate with the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) of Sierra Leone and support their employees’ capability development. 

EDACY, in partnership with the Swiss Institute of Technology (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne – EPFL), created the Digital Foundations for Public Services – a 5-week online program, designed to equip government employees with the skills, knowledge and mindset needed to successfully navigate the “new normal” driven by digital technology and innovation.

Government employees who participate in the program will be able to improve their organization’s processes, service delivery and operations for digital. They will also be able to explore and find new tools and technologies for their current organization’s challenges and to identify new solutions and ways to accomplish their work and day-to-day tasks.

About EDACY

EDACY is a fast-growing Swiss-based Edtech company that partners with leading universities and top global product companies to develop and offer certified short online courses to upskill the workforce for the 4th Industrial Revolution and shape the future of public services. (www.edacy.com)

Register Here: https://rb.gy/rnpfh2

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