Leh Wi Learn - Sierra Leone Secondary Education Improvement Programme

  • P Project/Program

I Inactive

Key Information

To improve English and mathematics learning achievement in all secondary schools, especially for girls. The programme has the following components: making schools safe for girls, improving learning conditions in schools for boys and girls, strengthening central and district capacity, and improving monitoring and evaluation. In the first two years, the project will be fully aligned with Sierra Leone’s President’s Recovery Priorities. Over the five years, the impact will be measured by improvements in the West Africa regional secondary school examinations taken after three years (the basic certificate) and after six years (the senior certificate). An additional 14,000 girls and boys are expected to pass English and Maths at senior level, with a narrowing of the performance gap between boys and girls. The outcome of the programme will establish an enabling environment for secondary school students, especially girls, to be safe, learn and achieve.


Location(s)

Sub-Saharan Africa

Sierra Leone

Government Affiliation

Non-governmental program

Years

2016 - 2023

Ministry Affiliation

Unknown

COVID-19 Response

Unknown

Geographic Scope

National

Meets gender-transformative education criteria from the TES  

Unknown

Areas of Work Back to Top

Education areas

Attainment

  • Primary to secondary transition
  • Secondary completion

Other skills

  • Life skills/sexuality education

Quality

  • School quality
  • School-related gender-based violence

Skills

  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
  • STEM

Cross-cutting areas

  • Adolescent pregnancy/childbearing
  • Early/child marriage
  • Social and gender norms and beliefs
  • WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene)

Program participants

Target Audience(s)

Boys in school, Girls in school, Youth

Age

10 - 19

School Enrolment Status

All in school

School Level

  • Lower secondary
  • Upper secondary

Other populations reached

  • Girls out of school
  • Mothers
  • Parent-teacher associations/school management committees
  • School administrators

Participants include

  • Adolescent mothers (pregnant or parenting)
  • People with disabilities

Program Approaches Back to Top

Access to school

  • Alternative learning centers/mobile schools/home schools

Community engagement/advocacy/sensitization

  • Community mobilization
  • Mothers' clubs
  • Technical assistance/capacity building to civil society organizations or governments

Facilities construction/improvement

  • Construction/improvement of classrooms

Policy/legal environment

  • Public-private partnerships

Social/gender norms change

  • Group activities with students or school-age children/adolescents
  • Work with community leaders
  • Work with religious leaders

Teaching

  • Hiring more female teachers
  • In-service teacher training – pedagogy general
  • Teaching materials (e.g. lesson plans, curricula)

Tutoring/strengthening academic skills

  • Literacy - in the classroom
  • Numeracy - in the classroom

Water and sanitation

  • Construction/improvement of sex-specific toilets
  • Construction/improvement of toilets (combined use)

Program Goals Back to Top

Education goals

  • Improved academic skills (literacy and numeracy)
  • Increased progression to secondary school
  • Increased re-enrolment in school among out-of-school children
  • Increased secondary school completion

Cross-cutting goals

  • Improved understanding of sexual harassment, coercion, and consent
  • Increased advocacy/civic engagement
  • More equitable gender attitudes and norms
  • Reduced adolescent pregnancy/childbearing
  • Reduced child marriage
  • Reduced school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV)