Sierra Leone
Background Information
Region
Sub-Saharan Africa
World Bank income group
Low income
Percent of population aged 10-24
33% (UNFPA, 2023)
Total primary school age population (both sexes)
1,306,308 (UIS, 2022)
Total secondary school age population (both sexes)
1,362,666 (UIS, 2022)
Proportion of women aged 20-24 years who were married or in a union before age 18 (% of women aged 20-24)
30%
Source: UNSDG , 2019
Adolescent birth rate (per 1,000 women ages 15-19)
102
Source: UN Human Development Reports , 2018
Percentage of women who ever experienced physical violence since age 15 (% of women 15-49)
61%
Source: DHS , 2019
Percentage of married women employed in the last 12 months (% of married or in-union women 15-49)
85%
Source: DHS , 2019
Education Snapshot Back to Top
Number of years of free primary and secondary education guaranteed in legal frameworks (Years)
9
Source: UIS , 2022
Percentage of upper secondary schools providing life skills-based HIV and sexuality education within the formal curriculum or as part of extra-curricular activities Percentage of schools
39%
Source: UNESCO , 2021
Proportion of schools with access to single-sex basic sanitation facilities Percentage of schools
-
Primary 70%
(2021)
-
Lower secondary 82%
(2021)
-
Upper secondary 100%
(2022)
Source: UIS
Women as a percentage of teachers in tertiary education
No data available
Men as a percentage of teachers in pre-primary education Men as a percentage
Source: UIS , 2021
Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government expenditure % GDP spent on education
Source: UIS , 2021
Gender parity index for achievement in mathematics, by education level (ratio)
No data available
Gender parity index for achievement in reading, by education level (ratio)
No data available
Proportion of students at the end of primary education achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in reading
No data available
Proportion of students at the end of primary education achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in mathematics
No data available
Experiencing bullying in the last 12 months in lower secondary education
No data available
Youth not in education, employment or training
-
Female 35%
-
Male 31%
Female: ILO, 2018
Male: ILO, 2018
Completion rate
Primary school age
-
Female 65%
-
Male 63%
Female: UIS, 2017
Male: UIS, 2017
Lower secondary school age
-
Female 42%
-
Male 47%
Female: UIS, 2017
Male: UIS, 2017
Upper secondary school age
-
Female 18%
-
Male 27%
Female: UIS, 2017
Male: UIS, 2017
Out-of-school rate
Primary school
-
Female 15%
-
Male 20%
Female: UIS, 2017
Male: UIS, 2017
Lower secondary school
-
Female 18%
-
Male 20%
Female: UIS, 2017
Male: UIS, 2017
Upper secondary school
-
Female 40%
-
Male 31%
Female: UIS, 2017
Male: UIS, 2017
Legal Frameworks Back to Top
Presence of legislation on child protection, to prevent corporal punishment in schools
1
No protection from violence in educational institutions
Source: HerAtlas , 2022
Presence of legislation protecting the right to education without discrimination based on sex/gender
2
Only enshrines the right to education or provides for a limited protection of this right
Source: HerAtlas , 2022
Presence of legislation to protect and facilitate education of pregnant adolescent girls
5
Protection of the right to education of pregnant and/or parenting girls
Source: HerAtlas , 2022
Existence of processes to support coordinated action on gender equality in and through education by ministries, civil society, youth organizations and other actors
Data coming soon!
Existence of systematic processes to review and update curricula and learning resources, with a view to eradicating gender stereotypes and promoting gender equality
Data coming soon!
Training on gender-responsive pedagogies is embedded in teacher training programmes
Data coming soon!
Programs Back to Top
Network/Convening/Conference
Accelerated Education
Project/Program
Clean Water Wells
Funding Initiative/Portfolio
Comprehensive scholarship programme
Project/Program
COVID-19 Support for Adolescent Girls
Project/Program
Early Childhood Development
Funding Initiative/Portfolio
Education Out Loud (EOL)
Project/Program
Enable the Children (ETC)
Advocacy Campaign/Project
Expanding Political Support for Abortion Access and Rights in Sierra Leone
Funding Initiative/Portfolio
Funding For Girls Education Programs
Project/Program
Girls’ Access to Education (GATE) (Sierra Leone)
Research Project/Report/Study
Girls' Education and COVID-19: What past shocks can teach us about mitigating the impact of pandemics
Funding Initiative/Portfolio
Girls' Education Challenge
Advocacy Campaign/Project
Girls Speak Out
Project/Program
Global Programme to End Child Marriage
Research Project/Report/Study
IDInsight: COVID-19 Response Research
Project/Program
Leh Wi Learn - Sierra Leone Secondary Education Improvement Programme
Project/Program
LitClub
Research Project/Report/Study
Living Under Lockdown: Girls and COVID-19
Project/Program
Programme for Children, Sierra Leone
Project/Program
Safe Learning Model
Advocacy Campaign/Project
Safe to Learn
Project/Program
School-Related Gender-Based Violence (SRGBV)
Project/Program
School Supplies & Classroom Improvements for partner schools
Project/Program
Service-learning for WASH in schools
Advocacy Campaign/Project
Sierra Leone: Let Girls Learn
Research Project/Report/Study
The Effect of COVID-19 on Education in Africa and its Implications for the Use of Technology: A Survey of the Experiences and Opinions of Educators and Technology Specialists
Government Programs Back to Top
Project/Program
Free Quality School Education (FQSE) Program
Advocacy Campaign/Project
Gender at the Center Initiative (GCI)
Project/Program
The Sierra Leone Education Innovation Challenge
Project/Program
Every Adolescent Girl Empowered and Resilient (EAGER)
Research Project/Report/Study
Empowerment and Livelihood for Adolescents in Sierra Leone
Project/Program
E-UPSHIFT Programme in Sierra Leone
Research Project/Report/Study
Women Count
Project/Program
Scholarship Provision in Sierra Leone
Transforming Education Summit National Statement of Commitment Back to Top
