Sierra Leone     Population (approx.) 5 million   Literacy Statistics Overall: 31.4% Male: 45.4% Female: 18.2%   GNP Per Capita (US Dollars) $510     Source: The World Bank Development Indicators, 1996; CIA World Fact Book 1997

Country Report presented by Fatima Lydia Tarawalli

The coup d'etat on May 25, 1997, and the ongoing rebel war in parts of Sierra Leone have forced parents to migrate with their children to safer areas. This and the destruction of over 70% of existing school buildings has seriously disrupted the formal educational system and strained the already overcrowded remaining schools. To increase access to and participation in school for out-of-school children (especially girls), the Non-Formal Primary Education (NFPE) project was established in 1992 by UNICEF. The project is a partnership between Unicef (which provides funding), the People's Educational Association (the implementing agency), and the communities themselves.

The timing of the classes is determined by the individual communities so that children are able to help their parents at home, or to engage in income-generating activities. In the first class, basic literacy, numeracy, and community studies are taught. In the second and third years, vocational training is also offered to help prepare children for self employment should they decide to discontinue schooling. As part of efforts to provide employment at a local level, loans are provided to parents for organizing cottage industries and cooperatives.

So far, 25,000 disadvantaged children have enrolled in the program out of an estimated 800,000 out-of-school children in the country. The project has been replicated in six districts in 100 communities, and it is hoped that by the year 2000 the project will be replicated in all districts.

While the literacy facilitators receive incentives provided by communities, which contribute to their income, the overall problem of funding requires continuous fund-raising efforts for the project. Another area of difficulty is lack of materials and supplies in the form of primers and learning/teaching materials.

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INTERNATIONAL LITERACY INSTITUTE
Graduate School of Education/University of Pennsylvania
3910 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19104-3111 USA
Telephone 215-898-2100 | Fax 215-898-9804 | E-mail: sltp@literacy.upenn.edu

Revised: July 6, 1998