News
New national civic education strategy launched by Sierra Leone
In addition to developing a national sense of pride, civic education forges identities mirroring the rich cultural tapestries of countries like Sierra Leone. It can both support efforts to unlearn historical silences and misrepresentations, and efforts to learn and write new narratives about a country and its people that revalue diverse cultural norms, values, languages, and practices in the process.
91Â鶹¹ú²ú¾«Æ·×ÔÅÄ been supporting the Ministry of Information and Civic Education of the Republic of Sierra Leone in developing a national civic education strategy. It was officially launched by H.E the President of Sierra Leone in December 2024.
This pertinent role of civic education, captured in Sierra Leone’s national civic education strategy, aligns with UNESCO's vision of promoting a humanistic and transformative approach to education among its Member States, which is further supported by the UNESCO Recommendation on Education for Peace, Human Rights and Sustainable development (2023).
About the outcome and next steps
The national civic education strategy, developed in 2024, was the result of a broad consultative process that meaningfully engaged over 1,000 representatives from across Sierra Leonian society. This initiative stemmed from an initial request by the Government of Sierra Leone for UNESCO’s support in this area.
The national civic education strategy is an evidence-based document that is locally informed and integrates research and practice in the African continent and globally. It is also in line with the Medium-term National Development Plans, the , the global , and UNESCO’s 2023 Recommendation.
The new strategy outlines concrete outcomes, outputs, and activities to integrate civic education in all facets of the Sierra Leonean society, from education to public service. It proposes concrete methods to refine existing structures, capacities and efforts.
Under the leadership and coordination of the Ministry of Information and Civic Education in Sierra Leone, UNESCO will continue to support the implementation of the strategy, including the development of key resources for educators and community service learning.
