Sierra Leone’s Deputy Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Sarjoh Aziz-Kamara, has, during his participation at the just concluded 18th Ministerial Round Table (MRT) on education, training, and skills development in Africa, called for the establishment of a digital investment fund and financing mechanisms in Africa.
He was speaking at the said event with over 2500 stakeholders from education, technology, and innovation, representing universities, research, Ed-Tech, and innovators from about 82 countries, from Africa and around the world.
This year’s session was co-hosted by eLearning Africa and the Government of Ghana, on the Theme- ‘Africa’s Time, Africa’s Terms: Learning for sovereignty, Strength, and Solidarity’ with a specific focus on African countries that can independently build, govern, and scale digital learning systems that reflect local realities and priorities.
Delivering a keynote statement at the opening of the 18th Ministerial Round Table (MRT) on Infrastructure and Finance for Digital Learning and Skills Development, Deputy Minister Sarjoh Aziz-Kamara highlighted efforts Sierra Leone is making towards digital transformation in higher education and technical and vocational education and training.
He emphasized that for Sierra Leone, digital learning is not merely about technology but a vision on digital sovereignty, equitable access, resilience, preparing young people, and developing jobs in Sierra Leone and beyond.
The Deputy Minister was commended for advocating that Africa should prioritize ‘establishment of digital investment fund and financing mechanisms’ that support infrastructure development, platform maintenance, digital content creation, and continuous capacity building for educators and administrators.
“This can enhance digital literacy, readiness for Artificial Intelligence, STEM education, and opportunities for employment and global competitiveness,” He concluded.
Sierra Leone was invited to participate in demonstrating exceptional commitment to advancing education with substantial investment in Free Quality School Education and digital transformation in universities, political commitment, and leadership of President Julius Maada Bio.
Speaking on behalf of the host country, Minister of Education, Ghana, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu implored Africa to take advantage of working collaboratively to deliver on digital education, training, and Skills development for sustainable development in Africa, aligning with Africa Union Agenda 2063, STISA 2034, and global strategies on digital education by leveraging on experience and global best practices.
Both events that ran simultaneously were attended by distinguished personalities, including the head of UNESCO Stefania Giannini.
The peak of the 2026 eLearning Africa and Ministerial Round Table was the entire debate on challenging Africa for a paradigm shift of its education system to make it more relevant, and that opens up job opportunities for Africa’s youth.
