John Kelly Marah
The Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Conrad Sackey, has assured parents, teachers, and school authorities that all public schools nationwide will reopen soon.
Speaking at the Ministry of Information and Civic Education press briefing on 10th August 2025, Minister Sackey disclosed that the Government of Sierra Leone has fulfilled part of its its financial obligations for the 2024/25 academic year by paying a total of NLe 113,287,870 in school subsidies. Of this amount, NLe 82,514,470 was paid for the first and second terms, with the remaining balance now fully cleared.
The Minister emphasized that since his appointment, the Ministry has consistently ensured timely subsidy payments to support schools in meeting operational costs, reducing the financial burden on parents, and strengthening the Free Quality School Education (FQSE) program.
He further reassured stakeholders that first-term subsidies for the 2025/2026 academic year will be disbursed on schedule, alongside the settlement of benefits owed to retired teachers.
Addressing the suspension of 4,900 teachers from the payroll, Minister Sackey explained that following interventions by the Sierra Leone Teachers’ Union, cases of genuinely affected staff were thoroughly reviewed. As a result, 1,802 teachers have been reinstated immediately, while verification of the remaining cases is ongoing to ensure fairness and transparency in the system.
Minister Sackey reiterated government’s commitment to improving the welfare of teachers and maintaining confidence in the education sector. He called on parents, teachers, and communities to prepare adequately for the reopening, stressing that the government remains determined to strengthen accountability and sustain quality learning across the country.
