- April 18, 2021
- Posted by: cyril
- Category: Embassy Activities
22nd February 2021
Hawally, Kuwait
In pursuance of His Excellency the President, Dr Julius Maada Bio’s address during the last State Opening of Parliament on the establishment of Polytechnic Institutions fully equipped with modern tools for vocational education and training, Her Excellency Haja Ishata Thomas has engaged Direct Aid on the construction of six Technical/Vocational Institutes in Sierra Leone.
The areas identified by President Julius Maada Bio for the construction of the six Technical Institutions were Fabala, Kerene, Makeni, Port Loko, Mattru Jong, and Koindu.
Making her submission, Ambassador Ishata Thomas appreciated the numerous development activities Direct Aid had undertaken and completed in the country, adding that the Government of Sierra Leone was pleased with their support for national development. Using the occasion to extend Honourable Nabela Tunis’ warmest greetings, she conveyed the Foreign Minister’s excitement in the engagement of pending developments.
“I want to thank you and the rest of the team for the respect accorded to us, especially at this time when COVID-19 cases are scaling high. This demonstrates your unreserved respect for the Government and the People of Sierra Leone. In May 2020, His Excellency made a pronouncement that the Government of Kuwait will fund the construction of six Technical/Vocational Institutes, and as Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to Kuwait it is my duty to take the necessary action to ensure these projects come to fruition,” she observed.
“The flagship programme of the President is to develop the country’s human capacity as education is the only sustainable development project that will stand the test of time. In this drive to capacitate the human resource, he has also considered technical and vocational capacity to enhance the skills training and entrepreneurship education of those who are unable to pursue tertiary education,” she revealed.
Her Excellency Haja Ishata Thomas concluded by appealing for more development assistance in charity work and other livelihood support programs, animal husbandry, training of Imams and Hajj Scholarship for Sierra Leoneans intending to perform pilgrimage to Mecca.
The Director-General of Direct Aid, Dr Abdullah Abdulrahman Al-Sumait acknowledged Direct Aid various development initiatives ranging from the promotion of education, health care, the construction of boreholes to the provision of microfinance. He affirmed further that the organization was willing to explore other areas such as agriculture, raising the issue of arable land for the commencement of agricultural activities in Sierra Leone.
Welcoming the initiative to construct the six Technical Institutions to strengthen vocational education in Sierra Leone, Dr Abdullah Abdulrahman Al-Sumait urged the Government of the Republic Sierra Leone to earnestly provide land in the areas identified, the architectural designs, and the Bill of Quantity (BOQ) for necessary action to be taken.
“We applaud the President’s vision to build the human capacity of the country, and as development partners, we will support in any area that concerns developing the human capital. When the construction of the six Technical Institutes is completed, we request that the Government of Sierra Leone cooperate with Direct Aid to ease the burden of running cost for administration,” he concluded.
Direct Aid Association (formerly African Muslims Agency) started its activities in 1981 as a voluntary non-governmental organization interested in developing the neediest places in Africa. Since its establishment in Sierra Leone, Direct Aid has spearheaded the construction of schools, conduction of hernia and cataract surgeries, and provision of water supply in the form of boreholes, among others.
Cyril Barnes,
Information Attaché,
Sierra Leone Embassy,
The State of Kuwait
Contact: +965 99827207