At the well of Sierra Leone’s Parliament on Thursday May 8, 2025, opposition Whip delivered a stinging critique of Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Conrad Sackey.

The MP challenged the minister’s analysis of national exams performance, particularly comparing outcomes from 2020 to 2023. He argued that the increase in students returning to school under the Free Quality Education programme invalidates a direct comparison, noting that many students previously dropped out due to financial barriers to entering Senior Secondary School 1 (SS1).

The opposition Whip also cited troubling inconsistencies in how data was handled between the Ministry and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC). He questioned the timeline for when the ministry requested schools to submit students data, when this data was verified, and when it was ultimately passed on to WAEC. He expressed concern that WAEC had previously dealt directly with schools rather than through the ministry, undermining the ministry’s authority and delaying crucial decisions.

Highlighting reports from the 2021, 2022, and 2023 academic years, the MP argued that financial resources were often misaligned, with the government paying more for students who failed to graduate than for those who took exams successfully. He emphasised that he had engaged more frequently with Minister Sackey than with any other minister and insisted that unresolved structural issues continue to undermine educational progress.

In closing, the Whip accused the ministry of losing the confidence of school principals and failing to implement key resolutions designed to fix systemic problems. He demanded clarity on the ministry’s internal processes, calling for transparency, timely data collection, and stronger institutional control over the education system.