By Mohamed Lyrics Bangura
Sierra Leone was once the center for quality education in Anglophone West Africa. Formerly known as the Athens of West Africa, the country has witnessed a steady decline in good standards of quality education. This has immensely affected the human resource base of the country and productivity.
For some time now, there have been daily reports of migrants trying to go to Europe by crossing the Mediterranean Sea from Libya
In a bid to complement and add more value to the efforts of Government’s free quality education and also address the issue of youth and middle man power unemployment, Magic Center Sierra Leone is working towards enhancing innovation and technology and also provides more empowerment in order for unemployment to become a thing of the past.
The Chief Executive Officer of Magic Center Sierra Leone, Patrick Josiah, disclosed to news men that since Magic Center Sierra Leone was established in 2017, they have been able to grow from strength to strength and the company has been able to produce local high quality standard modern furniture including custom made school, college and university furniture and house furniture as well as being involved in the installation of state-of the art equipment and technology which adds value to the country’s industry, using high grade Australian materials and products at Magic Center, 13 Robert Lane, Kossoh Town in the Western Rural District.
Mr. Josiah said Magic Sierra Leone in the next one year will employ 90% of Sierra Leoneans in all categories of operation and over twenty thousand individuals at the middle man power level nationwide, equipped with skills and innovative ideas, would gain employment in the manufacturing, agriculture sectors, in graphic design and construction, since the company now largely depends on locally produced products.
Patrick Josiah noted that it has always been his dream and passion to support education, innovation and technology, to enhance middle man power and empower underprivileged school going children.
He said students have been finding it difficult to get employment after their studies because learning institutions have not been able to teach courses and requisite skills to students lamenting how some students have not been able to benefit from career counselling which to some extent makes it hard for them to get employment.
‘’I am not in a position to defend the Government about what some people are saying about the Free Education. Looking at the words Free Quality Education and its present implementation, one thing I want people to realize is that the SLPP Administration has started the Free Quality Education, and we must give them a PLUS because they took the bold step of implementing the programme. That is why our company is presently producing locally guaranteed chairs and tables to address the sitting accommodation in schools, colleges and universities nationwide,’’ Patrick Josiah said
He said unemployment in Sierra Leone is very high – over 70% of the adult population are out of work, with an adult literacy rate of just 30% and with Government paying more attention to innovation and technology, giving more moral and financial support to companies promoting innovation and technology in Sierra Leone, in the next two years the issue of unemployment will be addressed drastically in Sierra Leone.
MAGIC SIERRA LEONE CEO said he is committed to support human capital development by mobilising resources to help improve technical and vocational education and boost literacy rates in the country.
He expressed gratitude to members of ‘’we woke team’’ for their tireless efforts in the planning and creativity implementation.
Sheku Barnard the Chief Innovator at Magic Sierra Leone said that as the leading company promoting innovation, technology and access to education in Sierra Leone. He said they are ready to help the Government achieve its objectives for the development of education in the country.
Mr. Barnard disclosed that Magic Center Sierra Leone has the capacity to produce more chairs and school desks at affordable prices.
He called on the New Direction Government, schools, colleges and university authorities to ensure they visit and see the work of Magi Center Sierra Leone and make use of their local materials made in Sierra Leone as a way of promoting the local content policy.
He encouraged Sierra Leoneans who are innovative and have skills to join Magic Center Sierra Leone in order to utilize their talents.
