4th November 2021
Ministry of Education, South Surra
Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the State of Kuwait, Her Excellency Haja Ishata Thomas, has engaged Kuwait’s Minister of Education on the need to support Sierra Leone’s educational sector.
While thanking the Minister for the opportunity to meet and discuss amidst his busy schedule, Ambassador Ishata Thomas praised Kuwait’s sound approach to curb the COVID-19 pandemic, referencing the measures instituted, resilience to keep the economy buoyant as well as the post-pandemic priorities for economic recovery.
Ambassador Thomas also used the occasion to thank the Government of Kuwait for its numerous supports to Sierra Leone, adding that the two countries have enjoyed fruitful relations for more than two decades, and as a result, the two countries have signed and ratified a number of bilateral agreements, including the Agreement on Culture and Arts.
Accordingly, she informed the Minister that the two countries have ratified the Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Technical Education and Professional Training and that the said Agreement would provide, among others, exchange of training, education curriculum programmes, studies and information related to Technical Education and Professional Training, exchange of visits for the management and officials of Technical and Professional Training as well as experts, trainers and trainees of Technical Education and Professional Institutes.
“Given this great development, the Mission has requested officially the provision of scholarship opportunities for deserving Sierra Leoneans to study in various fields of study in Kuwait. Additionally, I am pleased to inform you that the Mission secured a UNESCO Islamic scholarship through the General Secretariat of the Kuwait National Commission for UNESCO for high school candidates for the 2021-2022 academic year. Although the Mission did not get the said scholarship due to delay in transmission, we are hopeful to identify prospective candidates in the ensuing years,” she observed.
Ambassador Ishata Thomas went on to explain Sierra Leone’s Free Quality Education program, revealing it was born out of His Excellency the President, Dr Julius Maada Bio’s vision to develop the country’s Human Capital Development. “Based on the development trajectory Sierra Leone has taken, I look forward to your collaboration to develop our educational sector, particularly training programmes for teachers, lecturers and Imams, students exchange programmes, more scholarship opportunities and learning materials,” she concluded.
In his remarks, the Kuwait Minister of Education, Dr Ali Fahad Almudhaf, revealed it was an honour to discuss collaboration in the field of education between the two countries, stressing Sierra Leone had been a reliable friend to the State of Kuwait.
Commenting on the ratification of the Education Agreement between the two countries, Dr Almudhaf lauded the cooperation in education and assured the Ambassador that a team of experts would look into the Education Agreement to initiate action.
“The Ministry is willing to support Sierra Leone’s quest to develop its human capital, especially in professional training, students exchange programmes. We provide grants for students through the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET). The Ministry looks forward to your request,” the Minister stated.
Cyril Barnes,
Information Attaché,
Sierra Leone Embassy,Kuwait
Email: information.attache@kw.slembassy.gov.sl
