This blog was co-produced by Save the Children and the Education Outcomes Fund, and authored by Fergal Turner (SCUK), Esther Elliot-Nyuma (SCI), Lydia, Kamara (SCI) Abdulai Conteh (EOF) & Laura Romig (EOF)
Launched in 2022 by Sierra Leone's Ministry of Basic and Secondary School Education, the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation, and the Education Outcomes Fund, SLEIC aimed to improve literacy and numeracy outcomes for 134,000 children in 325 public primary schools across all districts of Sierra Leone. SLEIC was designed as an outcomes-based partnership, where funding to providers is tied to the achievement of specific learning outcomes. This approach has allowed providers to innovate and adapt their interventions to meet the needs of students and schools.
When school closed in May 2025, activities under the Sierra Leone Education Innovation Challenge (SLEIC) ended. In the coming months, final evaluation results will be published, offering a clear picture of whether the programme contributed to improved learning outcomes in participating schools. While we wait for final data to be released, Save the Children, together with the Education Outcomes Fund and the four other SLEIC providers; Street Child, Educaid, National Youth Awareness Forum (NYAF), and Rising Academies, convened in Freetown on August 20, 2025, for a National Learning Event.
The goal of the National Learning Event was to reflect on lesson learned, share experiences and explore how insights from SLEIC implementation can be used to strengthen Sierra Leone’s education system moving forward. The event brought together donors, government leaders, development partners and providers. Notable attendees including:
- Hon. Minister of Education, . Conrad Sackey
- Chief Education Officer, Mr. Edward M. Kpakra
- FCDO’s Education Advisor, Kate Jeffries
- UNICEF’s Chief of Education, Paola Ripamonti
The event opened with presentations from SLEIC providers on what on their specific activities and key takeaways done and what we’ve learned so far. Across the board, there was a common focus on:
- Structured pedagogy, including Teaching at the Right Level
- Data-driven coaching for teachers and headteachers
- Community engagement
- Improving school safety
Despite share goals, providers approached challenges differently - offering rich opportunities to learn from each other and for the education system to absorb these learning.
Key takeaways
Takeaway 1: Leverage Existing Assets
“Before we improve learning outcomes, we need to have teachers in the schools.”
– Conrad Sackey, Minister of Education
Sierra Leone has recruited over 13,000 new teachers since 2018. The challenge now is how best to support them using existing people and structures around schools.
Over the past three years, school leaders emerged as key players—shifting from administrative roles to pedagogical leadership. SLEIC showed how leaders can champion teaching and learning quality.
UNICEF’s recruitment of 220 School Quality Assurance Officers under the GPE-funded FLN programme further strengthens this ecosystem. By linking their work with SLEIC insights, these officers can play a vital role in supporting teachers nationwide.
Our takeaway: Think of SLEIC as a laboratory. Different providers tested different approaches, giving us comparative insights into what works, for whom, and under what circumstances. This evidence can be applied now—without requiring major new investments.
Takeaway 2: The Right Evidence at the Right Time
In her remarks, Kate Jeffries of FCDO reminded us of the need to regularly check our assumptions.
Endline evaluations are powerful, but they don’t always capture the live link between national policy and classroom practice. How do we know if policies in Freetown translate into changes in schools?
Efforts are underway to strengthen Sierra Leone’s Education Management Information System (EMIS) for more real-time data. FCDO is also leading a data harmonisation exercise; mapping tools developed by SLEIC providers and other partners to reduce duplication and promote the most useful tools.
Upcoming Joint Sector Reviews and the development of the next Education Sector Plan offer further opportunities for SLEIC evidence to inform big decisions.
Our takeaway: Publishing our data is not enough. We need to start with government priorities and provide the right data at the right time in the right format to inform decision making.
Takeaway 3: Collaboration at Every Level
If one word echoed throughout the event, it was collaboration. This collaboration can take many forms, including:
- Collaboration among providers. This means pooling insights to generate clear, actionable lessons.
- Collaboration with government. Using what we’ve learned to align with and support MBSSE and TSC priorities, from teacher support to data quality.
- Collaboration between programmes. For example, ensuring SLEIC lessons strengthen the GPE-funded FLN programme.
- Collaboration at school and community level. Recognising that learning sits within an ecosystem that includes teachers, parents, and communities. Fostering collaboration between these groups can create safer more effective schools.
Our takeaway: Collaboration is not optional, it is the fabric of strong education systems. Whether at national policy tables or in classrooms, partnership is what makes change possible.
Looking Ahead
The event left us with big questions that everyone in Sierra Leone’s education system is asking:
- How can we prioritise limited resources?
- How can we strengthen the work of those already supporting schools?
- How can we ensure that we are working together efficiently?
- How can we make sure we have the right evidence at the right time?
- How can we collaborate better for impact?
We don’t yet have all the answers. But by capturing fresh reflections from SLEIC now, we’ve laid the foundation for making the most of the evaluation results when they arrive. Our hope is simple: that the lessons from SLEIC continue to shape smarter policies, stronger schools, and better learning outcomes for children across Sierra Leone.
Acknowledgements: SLEIC is co-funded by the Government of Sierra Leone, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office, the Hempel Foundation, The Korean International Cooperation Agency and the Bank of America.
