Transforming Girls’ Education in Sierra Leone

The project aims to improve learning outcomes for vulnerable pre-teen and teenage girls in upper primary grades in Sierra Leone. The project works to dismantle barriers to education for girls at the district national and sub national levels while improving the quality of education in selected fragile areas in the country. At the district level the project delivers gender-responsive pedagogy in the preparation of new teachers at Teacher Training Colleges and in the strengthening of existing teachers in schools where student teachers from Teacher Training Colleges complete their practicum placements. At the national level the project works with teachers authors and illustrators to support the enhancement creation publishing and distribution of high quality gender-transformative teaching and learning materials for upper primary school. At the sub-national level Teacher Training Colleges are supported in their work with practicum schools so that they are more receptive to student teachers and able to increase new teachers’ understanding of children’s right to education gender-responsive pedagogy and the learning potential of all girls and boys including those with disabilities. Direct project beneficiaries include 200 teacher educators and the 4 Teacher Training Colleges in which they work 910 grade 4 to 6 primary school teachers Head Teachers and librarians working in 260 selected schools in 4 disadvantaged districts and 80 000 children (of which 50% girls) in grades 4 to 6. The project also benefits another 80 000 children in grades 1 to 3 in the participating schools as a whole school approach to gender-responsive pedagogy is integrated.

The expected outcomes for this project include: 1) improved equitable provision of innovative safe quality gender-responsive and evidence-based education to more than 900 primary school teachers and 160 000 primary school students including girls aged 9-16 years in four districts in Sierra Leone; and 2) increased equitable access to safe secure quality inclusive education for girls particularly those aged 9-16 years in 260 primary schools in four districts in Sierra Leone