Freetown, 3rd September 2025- Sierra Leone’s flagship Free Quality School Education (FQSE) program has fulfilled all five core commitments since its launch in 2018, according to National Program Coordinator Augustine Moses Koroma. The announcement comes amid a dramatic rise in school enrollment from 37% to 85% marking a major milestone in the country’s education reform agenda.
Speaking at a press conference at Youyi Building in Freetown, Koroma outlined the program’s achievements under President Julius Maada Bio’s administration, citing the delivery of:
Free school fees for pupils in government and government-assisted schools (pre-primary to senior secondary), payment of public examination fees, provision of core textbooks, distribution of teaching and learning materials and the expansion of the national school feeding program
In addition to these deliverables, Koroma highlighted key policy reforms including the Radical Inclusion Policy, School Catchment Policy, Integrated Early Childhood Development Policy and a formalized School Feeding Policy, all aimed at improving access, equity and retention.
Since 2018, the Free Quality Education has also achieved the approval of 3,000 schools nationwide, 12,000 teachers recruited, 94 containers of learning materials distributed, 538 primary schools built or renovated, 367 expansions completed, Primary education expenditure surged from 27% to 92% and retention rates climbing to 129%, indicating improved student continuity among others.
Koroma described the progress as a “clear demonstration of government’s commitment to building human capital through education,” positioning FQSE as a cornerstone of Sierra Leone’s development strategy.
