By Suliman Kamara
The Ministry of Communications, Technology and Innovation (MoCTI), in partnership with Huawei Sierra Leone and supported by Orange Sierra Leone and UNICEF, successfully concluded the inaugural Sierra Leone ICT Talent Development Program on July 23, 2024. This transformative initiative has provided digital skills training to over 3,500 Senior Secondary School (SSS) students, marking a significant step towards bridging the ICT skills gap in the country.
Launched earlier this year, the program began with a graduate recruitment training that equipped fifty university graduates with essential skills in Cyber Security and Digital Marketing. These graduates then shared their expertise with secondary school students, fostering a culture of knowledge transfer and empowerment.
Salima Monorma Bah, the Minister of Communications, Technology and Innovation, commended Huawei and the Orange Foundation for their dedication to this initiative. 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 stated.
Sekou Amadou Bah, CEO of Orange Sierra Leone, highlighted 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 explained.
Dash Qiu, General Manager of Huawei Sierra Leone, noted that the training sessions are part of Huawei’s commitment to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) while promoting 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, 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—benefited from the training, setting a strong foundation for future initiatives aimed at fostering digital skills and innovation in Sierra Leone.