Back to School, Back to Learning: Building Strong Foundations for Every Child.

As children across Sierra Leone return to school this week, classrooms will once again fill with excitement, expectation and possibility. For every child taking their seat, the new school year represents an opportunity to learn, grow and build the skills needed for the future. For the country, it is a reminder that Sierra Leone’s future is being shaped in classrooms today.

Yet being in school is only the beginning. What matters most is whether children are learning.

That is why foundational learning matters. A child who learns to read with understanding in the early grades is more likely to succeed throughout school, develop confidence and access greater opportunities later in life. A child who struggles to acquire foundational literacy and numeracy skills faces a much steeper path.

The challenge is significant. National learning assessment data show that only 12 per cent of Grade 4 pupils achieve minimum proficiency in reading. This is a stark reminder that expanding access must go hand in hand with a renewed focus on the quality of learning.

Behind these numbers are children whose opportunities will be shaped by whether they learn to read, understand and work with numbers in their early years. Every child deserves the chance to experience the confidence that comes from reading a story independently for the first time. Sierra Leone's back-to-school moment must therefore also be a learning moment.

In response, the Government of Sierra Leone has made foundational learning a priority. UNICEF, working alongside the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education and with support from the Global Partnership for Education, is supporting these efforts by strengthening teacher development, expanding access to learning materials and advancing reforms that help more children learn and thrive.

Strong foundations for learning begin with well-prepared and supported teachers. Every day, teachers turn curriculum into understanding, lessons into confidence and education policy into progress for children. When teachers have the right training, materials, coaching and support, classrooms become places where every child can participate and learn.

Through the GPE-supported Foundational Learning Programme, teachers, head teachers and school quality assurance officers are being supported to strengthen how literacy and numeracy are taught in classrooms. Early-grade pupils are being reached with child-centred learning materials, while trainers and teachers are gaining practical tools to make lessons more structured, participatory and responsive to children’s needs.

But improving learning at scale requires more than better teaching. Sierra Leone also needs strong education data and assessment systems that allow us to understand which children are learning, who is being left behind and where support and resources are most needed. Initiatives that link education data with identity systems, including the National Identification Number and birth registration, can help strengthen planning and inclusion so that every child is counted and supported throughout their learning journey.

Education financing is equally important. Strong results require sustained investment in teachers, learning materials, safe schools, data systems, assessment, supervision and support for the most marginalized children. Every leone invested effectively in foundational learning is an investment in Sierra Leone's future, strengthening the skills, productivity and opportunities of the next generation. The literacy, numeracy and life skills children develop today will shape the workforce, productivity and economic growth of tomorrow.

Strong foundations for learning depend on what children experience every day, in school, at home and in their communities: supportive teachers, effective learning materials, inclusive classrooms and families and communities that encourage children to attend, participate and learn. These foundations are especially important for children who face the greatest barriers to learning, including girls, children with disabilities and children living in remote communities.

As schools reopen, we should listen closely to children’s voices. A child who says, “I can read this now,” is showing us what progress looks like. A teacher who says, “I now know another way to explain this lesson,” demonstrates why investment in professional development matters. A classroom where children are reading, counting, asking questions and participating with confidence is evidence of reform reaching the place where it matters most.

Sierra Leone has made important progress in expanding access to education. Today, almost 2 million children aged 6–18 are enrolled in or attending school, yet more than 500,000 remain out of school. The challenge now is to ensure that every child enters school, stays in school, learns well and develops the skills needed for life.

UNICEF remains committed to supporting the Government of Sierra Leone in this effort. Together with teachers, families, communities and partners, we can help build an education system that is government-led, child-centred and focused on learning.