By Alvin Lansana Kargbo
The Ministry of Communications, Technology and Innovation (MoCTI), in collaboration with Huawei Sierra Leone and supported by Orange Sierra Leone and UNICEF, on July 23, 2024 successfully concluded the first Sierra Leone ICT Talent Development Program. This initiative has provided digital skills training to over 3,500 Senior Secondary School (SSS) students.
The program, designed to bridge the ICT skills gap through knowledge transfer, commenced earlier this year with a graduate recruitment training. Fifty University graduates were equipped with skills in Cyber Security and Digital Marketing, which they then imparted to secondary school students.
Salima Monorma Bah, Minister of Communication, Technology and Innovation, praised Huawei and the Orange Foundation for their efforts. She emphasized that the training aligns with President Julius Maada Bio’s Big Five Game Changers, particularly focusing on human capital development and youth employment. “By equipping graduates with digital skills, we address two critical pillars of His Excellency’s vision to create 500,000 job opportunities for the youth while investing in human capital development,” she said.
Sekou Amadou Bah, CEO of Orange Sierra Leone, underscored the importance of digital literacy in today’s technological landscape. “Technology plays a crucial role in today’s world and it is essential that students are equipped with the necessary skills to thrive in the digital age. By offering these free trainings, we aim to bridge the digital divide and empower students with the skills they need to succeed,” he stated.
Dash Qiu, General Manager of Huawei Sierra Leone, highlighted that the training sessions are part of Huawei’s commitment to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) while ensuring inclusivity in the digitalization process. “We are proud to contribute to Sierra Leone’s digital transformation and look forward to seeing these young talents become the driving force of innovation in their communities,” he added.
The pilot phase of the Sierra Leone Talent Development project, also supported by the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE), concluded on July 15, 2024. This year, 3,514 students from 61 schools across eight districts—Western Urban, Western Rural, Bo, Pujehun, Kono, Kenema, Moyamba and Bonthe—benefitted from the training.
