Teachers for All: Sierra Leone

Highlights

Sierra Leone has made significant progress in expanding access to education, but many children still do not acquire the foundational literacy and numeracy skills needed for continued learning. The availability, preparation and distribution of teachers are important factors shaping learning conditions, yet shortages of qualified teachers and uneven deployment create large disparities across schools, particularly in rural and remote areas and in the early grades. Around one in three primary teachers is unqualified, while many schools have more than 65 learners per qualified teacher. 

The Teachers for All: Sierra Leone research project examined how teachers are distributed across the country’s primary schools and and what that means for foundational learning and government workforce goals. Drawing on national education data and interviews with key stakeholders, it identifies where shortages are most severe and where existing teachers could be allocated more effectively. The findings point to opportunities to improve learning conditions without relying only on expanding the overall teacher workforce. More strategic deployment of qualified teachers, particularly to underserved schools, can help reduce disparities and make better use of available resources. 

This work is presented through a main report and two accompanying thematic research notes: 

• The research report recommends strengthening data-driven teacher deployment and workforce planning, prioritizing qualified teachers for schools with the greatest needs, and improving the recruitment and retention of teachers in rural and remote areas through better infrastructure and targeted incentives. It also calls for continued investment in teacher preparation, professional development and classroom support, particularly in the early grades, and for clearer pathways to formalize qualified volunteer teachers. 
• Thematic note 1 examines the underrepresentation of women teachers in Sierra Leone's primary schools, looking at the barriers that limit their recruitment, deployment and career progression. 
• Thematic note 2 explores pathways to strengthen and integrate the volunteer teaching workforce, considering how qualified volunteers can be better supported and formally recognized within the teaching profession.