The Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) will join other development lenders to finance a $65m programme to improve schools in Sierra Leone.
The work will involve extending and modernising four secondary schools and two technical colleges.
The move represents a long overdue effort to provide a base for economic development.
The country has a 96% debt-to-GDP ratio and a literacy rate of 48%, a figure that has risen only four percentage points in the past 10 years.
Its ranking in the UN’s Human Development Index was 184th out of 193 countries in 2023.
The project broke ground on Saturday, with President Julius Maada Bio pitching in to dig foundations for new blocks at Kenema Government Secondary School.
Set up in 1952 in Sierra Leone’s second city after the capital, Freetown, it’s regarded as one of the country’s elite high schools.
At the groundbreaking ceremony, President Bio said the plan was “a testament to our commitment to education and the international community’s belief in our vision”.
He said his administration’s work in fighting corruption, promoting human development and empowering women were factors in gaining the loan.
“I convinced the funders because of our commitment to transparency, our dedication to rebranding Sierra Leone’s image, and our focus on building a strong educational foundation for future generations,” he said.
Kadiatu Alie, the deputy finance minister, said the government would contribute $3m to the funding. She underscored the importance of the project for both current and future students, calling it a “timely and valuable contribution to the nation’s development”.
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