PBF Programmes in Sierra Leone - Unesco

Promoting Education in Countries affected
by Fragility and/or Conflict
Sierra Leone Case Study
Alan Smith
University of Ulster
March 2011

CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABBREVIATIONS & ACRONYMS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1. INTRODUCTION
2. CONTEXT
2.1 Historical Background
2.2 Conflict in Sierra Leone
2.3 Roots of the Conflict
2.4 Post-war Challenges
3. EDUCATION SECTOR
3.1 Impact of war on the education system
3.2 Post-war Education
3.3 Post-war Challenges for Education
4 GERMAN FUNDED PROGRAMMING IN SIERRA LEONE
4.1 German Development Cooperation (GDC) in Sierra Leone
4.2 Official GDC and Education Programmes
4.3 Contribution of Official GDC Education Programmes to Peacebuilding
4.4 GTZ Employment Promotion Programme (EPP)
4.5 German Funded NGOs and Education Programmes
4.6 German Funded NGO Education Programmes and Peacebuilding
4.7 AGEH/Civil Peace Service
5 GTZ POSITIONING AND FUNCTIONING
5.1 Perceptions of GTZ by Stakeholders
5.2 Positioning of GTZ
6 CONCLUSIONS
APPENDIX 1: German-funded Programmes in Sierra Leone
APPENDIX 2: Joint Vision Programmes (UNIPSIL)
APPENDIX 3: Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) programmes in Sierra Leone
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all those who contributed to this study. First
and foremost, many thanks go to Ronja Hoelzer for commissioning the study and for all the
support and encouragement during the field visit. The support of the GTZ field office in
Freetown, and in particular Elsa Meinzer, was also invaluable both in terms of logistical
support and providing an insight into GTZ operations. I also gratefully acknowledge the
numerous people who gave their time to meet with me during the visit and to Sahr Sorrie,
the national consultant, whose expertise in teacher education and knowledge of the country
have added considerably to my understanding of education in Sierra Leone. Finally, my
sincere thanks go to Denise Bentrovato and Christine Smith who contributed significantly to
the literature review, data collection in Sierra Leone and in the compilation of the report.
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ABBREVIATIONS & ACRONYMS
ACC Anti-Corruption Commission
AGEH Arbeitsgemeinschaft Entwicklungshilfe (Catholic Development Service)
APC All People’s Congress
BE Basic Education
BMZ Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung
BW Brot fuer die Welt
CI Caritas International
DDR Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration
DFID Department for International Development
EDD Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Evangelical Development Service)
EFA- FTI Education For All- Fast Track Initiative
EPP Employment Promotion Programme
FAO Food and Agricultural Organisation
GDP Gross Domestic Product
GoSL Government of Sierra Leone
GTZ Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit
KFW Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (German Bank for Reconstruction and
Development)
KNSL Kindernetzwerk Sierra Leone
MDG Millennium Development Goal
MEST Ministry of Education, Sciences and Technology
MEYS Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports
MoESS Ministry for Employment and Social Security
NCTVA National Council for Technical, Vocational and Other Academic Awards
NFE Non-formal education
NGO Non-governmental Organisation
PBC Peacebuilding Commission
PBF Peacebuilding Fund
PCA Peace and Conflict Assessment
PRSP Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper
SLPP Sierra Leone People's Party
ToT Training of Teachers
TRC Truth and Reconciliation Commission
TVET Technical Vocational Education and Training
UNAMSIL United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone
UNDP United Nations Development Programme
UNIDO United Nations Industrial Development Organization
WFP World Food Programme
WHH Deutsche Welthungerhilfe
WVG World Vision Germany
YES Youth Employment Scheme
Zfd Ziviler Friedensdienst (Civil Peace Service)
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1. This report is part of a multi-country study commissioned by the GTZ sector project ‘Education
and Conflict Transformation’ on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and
Development (BMZ) in Germany. The aim of the study has been to review German-funded
education projects and programmes in a number of post-conflict countries in order to identify
their relation to conflict transformation and peacebuilding.
2. This case study focuses on Sierra Leone and involved a review of programme literature followed
by a two-week field visit in January 2011. The field visit concentrated on the Employment
Promotion Programme (EPP) which is the main GTZ programme in Sierra Leone, and three
projects funded by the German Civil Peace Service (CPS). Approximately 150 stakeholders
participated in individual interviews, focus-group discussions and visits to projects sites.
3. Sierra Leone is recovering from the legacy of a 10-year civil war (1999-2002), during which the
social fabric of the country, social services including the education system, infrastructure, and
the economy were all but destroyed. A review of literature on the roots of the conflict
highlights the influence of diamonds (as both an incentive and a way to fund violence) and a
corrupt and authoritarian government. However, the marginalisation and alienation of youth
has been identified as a main cause of the war. Key to the creation of grievances was the
system of customary law and its abuses and an elitist education system which failed to deliver
the jobs that it seemed to offer. In the context of the impoverishment of the country and the
external influence of Charles Taylor and Colonel Gaddafi’s radicalisation projects these
grievances led to frustration, anger and eventually violence.
4. Since the end of the war in 2002 Sierra Leone has made progress in a number of areas including
the establishment of a more democratic system and the promotion of health and education.
The consensus over the remaining challenges are reflected in the Joint Vision for Sierra Leone
(which now guides all UN agency work in the country), as well as the Government’s Agenda for
Change. These challenges are: youth; rural development; health; government capacity,
credibility and corruption; management of natural resources; infrastructure (including
electricity, energy, water and transportation); and gender inequality (Paulson 2011).
5. The government requested the UN to establish a Special Court for Sierra Leone to prosecute
those responsible for human rights violations during the conflict. The Sierra Leone Truth and
Reconciliation Commission was established in 2000 and began operating from 2002. The report
of the TRC suggests that education should play a role in helping society deal with the past and
UNICEF developed a child-friendly version. The majority of those interviewed suggested that
there is a role for education, but the form that this should take is still a matter for debate.
6. The war had a devastating effect on the education system. A large number of schools buildings
were destroyed and secondary schools were often targeted by ex-pupils who joined the rebels
(Wright 1997: 27). Staff and students were abducted and educational services all but ceased
during the conflict. Many children were also actively involved in the war and the post-conflict
period has involved dealing with trauma, demobilisation and reintegration of youth.
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7. The education system in Sierra Leone has made a ‘remarkable recovery’ since the end of the
war (WB/MEST 2006). The national policy framework (PRSP II) articulates the government’s
commitment to the sector and the Education Act 2004 and the Education Sector Plan (2007-
2015) make commitments to the realisation of the right of all children in Sierra Leone to free
basic education.
8. The sector has received limited funding through the EFA-FTI ($13.9 million, 5% of the funding
gap identified by the Education Sector Plan). However, in general there has been a commitment
to funding education from donors and the government and the sector has received high
prioritisation in terms of recurrent spending as a percentage of GDP. Donor funding to
education in Sierra Leone has been seen as a success and is highlighted in the recent Global
Monitoring Report 2011 on Armed Conflict. The suggestion is that early engagement, sustained
over a significant period of time, and with an early transition from humanitarian to
development assistance through budget support is an effective way to support peacebuilding
through education.
9. Fieldwork highlighted a number of challenges for the education sector in Sierra Leone. The
frequency with which systemic issues such as large class sizes, lack of classroom space and
under-qualified teachers are mentioned points to the extent to which they continue to impact
on the effectiveness of the system and therefore education programmes. Secondly, the
structural separation between vocational training and academic education in the current 6-3-3-
4 schooling structure has implications for the status of vocational training.
10. German Development Cooperation (GDC) has been active in Sierra Leone since 1968, but there
is no country strategy or a priority area strategy for Sierra Leone, as it is not a partner country
for bilateral GDC. Rather it is supported through a special fund for four fragile states in West
Africa and work has been guided by a Chapeau-paper (2007). In line with official development
policy the Federal German government and BMZ have made conflict-sensitive design and Peace
and Conflict Assessments (PCA) a binding requirement for all GDC’s implementing organisations
active in fragile contexts.
11. GTZ documents state a belief in the close link between education and peacebuilding and
educational interventions have been integrated into the design of a large number of GDC
programmes. One approach has been to implement programmes that aim to improve access to
quality schooling. These programmes have involved building schools, vocational training centres
and teacher training facilities, developing teaching and learning materials and training teachers.
The second approach has been to support programmes that aim to strengthen capacity as well
as good governance and accountability of the education system. GDC has been involved in
advisory assistance and capacity building of the MoE, MoE/district education officials, teachers,
instructors, artisans involved in vocational apprenticeship schemes, and social workers;
monitoring activities through close collaboration with MEYS, MEST and the Joint Monitoring
Committee; and the promotion of decentralisation of education administration.
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12. Official GDC has sought to promote peacebuilding through education using five main
approaches: 1) Supporting infrastructural development and service delivery; 2) Supporting
social and economic reintegration of ex-combatants; 3) Enhancing youth employability;
4)Enhancing social and civic values and competences; 5) Enhancing good governance and
institutional capacity.
13. The Employment Promotion Programme (EPP) is the major programme currently implemented
by GTZ in Sierra Leone. It is a highly complex programme with an ambitious aim to combine
and link investment in the labour force through skills development and qualifications
(employability) with stimulation of labour demand through private sector development
(employment opportunities). The programme also seeks to promote youth participation and
representation. The programme is highly aligned to peacebuilding needs as youth
unemployment is identified as a risk factor for conflict. However, concerns exist over
continuing lack of employment for many graduates of the programme and the lack of political
engagement where youth voices may be heard.
14. The focus on TVET is well-aligned to peace building priorities in Sierra Leone and there has been
a commitment to conflict analysis through the appointment of a conflict advisor and the
requirement that conflict assessments be undertaken for GTZ programmes. However, it is not
clear whether the priority to TVET was as a result of a context analysis of peacebuilding needs in
Sierra Leone or whether this is a post hoc rationale for an area of programming which is present
in many countries where there is German development cooperation.
15. Some of the challenges arising from the EPP in Sierra Leone are common to TVET programmes
in general. For example, there are questions about matching supply with demand – whether the
right skills are being developed and how these match the economic opportunities for
employment within the economy. In Sierra Leone, GTZ are working mainly on the supply side
and KfW are mainly tasked with stimulating the economy. However, from a peacebuilding
perspective if these do not result in increased employment and livelihoods for youth, then there
is a possibility that unmet expectations will simply have been deferred – at worst youth
disaffection may be reinforced in a way that could fuel any relapse into violence. This may be
particularly important in urban areas where there is now a high concentration of youth due to
displacement during the war, although it is also the case that the war affected rural areas are
those where it is very difficult to stimulate the economy.
16. Whilst GTZ has developed a recognised reputation for the provision of TVET, to some extent this
means there is the potential for its programmes to develop in isolation. This was raised in a
number of ways during the field study. Firstly, there is a structural issue about the separate
development of formal education and TVET – this is reflected in budget lines and organisational
responsibilities within the Ministry, in separate curricula and in different systems for
accreditation and qualifications. Secondly, the success of TVET is to a large extent dependent on
the quality of outcomes from the formal education system – otherwise TVET becomes
perceived as lower status or an alternative route for those who have not succeeded through
formal education. This is a systemic issue, but has implications for GTZ in terms of the extent to
which it supports the development of TVET in isolation from formal education.
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17. There may also be a danger in perceiving TVET solely in terms of the provision of technical skills.
GTZ is aware of this and there is a concern to include literacy and numeracy skills which are also
of importance in terms of potential employment. However, as Hakobyan highlighted in her
peacebuilding assessment of EPP, the analysis of the role of youth in the conflict in Sierra Leone
was not simply about youth unemployment. Other factors such as lack of voice, frustrations
with customary power relations and lack of political engagement were also identified as factors
that will not be addressed simply by the creation of employment skills and opportunities. This is
a more challenging proposition and suggests that the peacebuilding analysis should include the
possibility of strategies to develop forms of youth engagement that raise awareness about the
political economy environment in which job opportunities are being developed.
18. One of the most encouraging aspects of the EPP programme was a holistic approach that
combines youth resettlement with a training component observed as part of the field study in
Giehun. The approach includes different components that accomplish a number of goals
simultaneously. For example, there are mechanisms to identify youth in the urban areas of
Freetown who were displaced because of the war. Counselling and support is available for
those who want to return to their villages in the war-affected rural areas. Contact is made with
village leaders to negotiate their return bearing in mind that those who left the villages may be
regarded with some suspicion. Skills training is provided in advance of the return in areas
relevant for the village, particularly in agriculture so that returnees can contribute to food
security. Resettlement packages are provided and follow up support is provided through the
project staff based in the local GTZ offices. There are some instances of resentment from those
who returned to the villages without such support, but overall the programme appears to have
very positive outcomes.
19. Another positive feature of the Employment Promotion Programme is the extent to which it has
successfully evolved from humanitarian relief to a development phase which takes questions of
ownership and sustainability seriously. Again, this was observed in the interactions of GTZ field
staff with programme beneficiaries where questions were addressed about the need to develop
self-reliance and avoid dependency. This was not always a popular approach with beneficiaries,
but from a peacebuilding perspective it demonstrates a desire that the results of projects are
locally owned in the long term.
20. German civil society, including a number of Churches and NGOs, has also been involved in postwar
Sierra Leone. Whilst BMZ and AA have been the major sources of German funding of NGO
projects in Sierra Leone, this has been complemented by donations from the German public.
NGO educational programmes have taken the following form: infrastructural development and
service delivery; employability and economic and social integration of vulnerable groups;
community conflict resolution skills; community food security, poverty reduction, and
sustainable development; community health, hygiene and nutrition; and good governance of
the education sector and other sectors. Whilst these programmes often address those most
affected by the war, as a general rule conflict-analysis does not seem to be mainstreamed
structurally in NGOs’ programming.
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21. The German Civil Peace Service (CPS) was established in 1999 and sends experts to crisis areas
through its governmental (GIZ) and its non-governmental implementing agencies, Association of
Development Service (AGEH), EIRENE-International Christian Service for Peace, Church
Development Service (EED), and World Community Services (WFD), as well as the two umbrella
organisations of the peace organisations Action Committee Service for Peace (AGDF) and the
Civil Peace Service Forum (forumZFD). AGEH currently has 13 CPS experts deployed in Sierra
Leone. Three projects were visited during the field study. From the field interviews the degree
of peacebuilding relevance, as well as perceptions of the impact of the three AGEH/CPS
programmes vary.
• Don Bosco is a residential project for street children and young people which provides
shelter, education, and coaching/counselling services (psycho-social education/ trauma
healing) with a view to reunifying them with their family. Their work offers a valuable
insight and child centred perspective on how education is serving children and the dynamics
within local families.
• ‘To Reach Peace to Teach Peace’ works specifically through 105 Catholic schools and trains
school teachers to integrate issues related to peace education in the classroom. Overall,
the programme is useful in raising issues about methods of conflict resolution and
questioning the use of violence and there is the potential for the programme to influence
the inclusion of human rights and responsibilities within the new curriculum. However, in
its current form the programme is unlikely to be taken up by non-Catholic schools as it does
include religious references in the materials and would therefore need to be adapted.
• The Peace and Conflict Studies programme at Fourah Bay College offers three courses: a 1year
certificate, a 2-year diploma, and a 4-year degree. These courses currently attract 800
students. Whilst the relevance of such courses in a post-war country may seem obvious, it
seems unrealistic to expect that the post-conflict economy will be able to sustain
employment for such a high number of graduates from this field.
Overall, these CPS projects make connections to people at a very practical level within conflict
affected communities. They may also provide insight into issues that need to be addressed and
the strategies that could be used. However, the main challenge is the extent to which these
projects can affect change within wider society. There is also no strong evidence that the
projects are selected strategically in terms of how they might best contribute to peacebuilding.
22. One area for further development identified by the study relates to coordination with other
donors and the UN system. Sierra Leone was one of the first countries accepted on to the
agenda of the UN Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) and the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) has
provided US$34.5 million for 19 projects in Sierra Leone. However, projects linked to the fourth
PBF priority of youth empowerment and employment make up just 5% of the portfolio. This
suggests that there may be some merit in exploring opportunities for closer working relations
with these UN agencies.
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1. INTRODUCTION
This report is part of a multi-country study commissioned by the GTZ sector project ‘Education and
Conflict Transformation’ on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and
Development (BMZ) in Germany. The aim of the study, ‘German development cooperation in the
field of education in countries affected by conflict and/or fragility – lessons learned and results
achieved‘, has been to review German-funded education projects/ programmes in a number of
conflict affected countries in order to identify their relation to conflict transformation and peace
building, and to draw useful lessons which could inform future practices.
Sierra Leone is the focus of this report and the research for this case-study took place in two phases.
In a preliminary phase, documentary evidence was collected through desk-based research. At this
stage, a review was conducted of academic literature on political, economic and social issues in
Sierra Leone, with an emphasis on the civil war and its relation to education. The literature review
included an analysis of German policy documents and project/programme literature produced by
German development agencies (offers, progress reports (E-VAL), monitoring reports, evaluations,
PCAs), accessed through the GTZ-DMS database, websites, or otherwise sent on request.
The parameters for this review are educational interventions which have been funded by German
ODA (either by BMZ or by the German Foreign Ministry) and which have been carried out by either
official implementing agencies (GTZ and KfW) or German NGOs/ Churches (e.g. Church Development
Service (EDD), Association for Development Cooperation (AGEH), Dvv international, Brot fur die welt,
Welthungerhilfe, Caritas International/ Germany, World Vision Germany, Kindernetzwerk). These
include educational interventions at all levels of education (basic and higher) and of all types (formal
and non-formal, including adult literacy and youth programs), implemented in Sierra Leone since the
end of the civil war in 2002.
The desk-study phase was followed by a two-week field study (17-28 January 2011) with the
assistance of two researchers and a local consultant. Based on the document analysis, two current
education projects were selected as the focus of the field research to be explored more in depth.
These are:
1. GTZ’s Employment Promotion Programme (EPP), and in particular its technical/vocational
training component; and
2. AGEH German Civil Peace Service’s peace education projects in schools and universities.
These projects were chosen with the intention to explore two different aspects of the way in which
education programming might contribute to peacebuilding:
• by promoting the employability of youth and disadvantaged groups through mainly non-formal
vocational and technical training with the ultimate aim to contribute to poverty reduction and
economic and social empowerment and engagement of groups potentially vulnerable to military
mobilisation (an indirect approach to peacebuilding); and
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• by enhancing social and civic values and competences through formal peace education with the
ultimate aim to promote good governance and a responsible citizenry, as well as to foster
conflict resolution and social cohesion (a direct approach to dealing with peace).
During the field study, face-to-face meetings were organised with the project/programme personnel
and participants, with the aim to assess their views on German-funded projects/programmes and on
their relevance and effectiveness in addressing the perceived causes and consequences of the
conflict and in responding to the post-war and current needs of the country and its population.
Approximately 150 stakeholders participated in individual interviews and focus-group discussions.
Interviewees included project personnel and beneficiaries, educational officials at the central and at
the district level, teachers and trainee teachers, students and graduates, traditional chiefs and
communities, German embassy and UN personnel. Also, data collected through interviews was
complemented by direct observation through visits to programme sites. Meetings were organised at
five different locations which were selected on the basis of project presence and feasibility in
relation to time constraints. During the first week, visits were conducted in Freetown, the capital city
in the Western Area. The second week involved travelling to four districts ’up country‘: in the
Eastern Province, interviews were organised in Kenema (the country’s third largest town, and a
major diamond trade centre and the economic centre of Eastern Sierra Leone) and Kailahun 1
, and
Koidu Town in Kono District (border areas with Liberia and Guinea which were particularly heavily
involved in and affected by the war, with Koidu Town being the country’s fourth largest town and
another major diamond trade and economic centre); in the Northern Province, Makeni town in
Bombali District (the country’s fifth largest town, and the largest city and economic centre of
Northern Sierra Leone). See Figure 1 below for a map of the sites visited for the study.
The report is structured in the following way. After this introduction, section two provides a brief
overview of the country context. This includes reference to the country’s history, followed by an
analysis of the causes of the war and of its consequences, as well as the post-war challenges. Section
three refers to the impact of the war on education system and post-war challenges for the education
sector, as stated in the education sector plan, especially in relation to peacebuilding. Section four
examines German-funded programming in Sierra Leone. It provides an overview of the approach of
German Development Cooperation before examining education programming implemented by both
official agencies (GTZ/ KfW) and by German NGOs and Churches. Two current programmes, GTZ’s
Employment Promotion Programme (EPP) and AGEH German Civil Peace Service’s peace education
projects in schools and universities, are examined in depth. Keys issues and lessons learned will be
identified here with regard to the GDC’s strategy and its relevance to Sierra Leone peacebuilding
needs. Based on these findings, the report then makes a number of conclusions.
1 Kailahun: widely depicted as ‘the forgotten district’ and the epicentre of the conflict. Home to the RUF, the district
was the last to achieve peace and to receive assistance.
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Figure 1: Sites visitied as part of field work, 17-28 Jan 2011
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2. CONTEXT
Key Statistics
Population 6.5 million
Area 71,740 sq km
Independence from Britain 27 th April 1961
Ethnic Groups Mende (30%)
Temne (30%
Creole (10%)
Other (30%)
GDP $1.9 billion
HDI Rank: 158
Was the country with the lowest position in 2004
Life Expectancy 48.2 years (Male: 37 years)
Adult Literacy 29.6%
2.1 Historical Background
In the 1700s the coast of Sierra Leone was used as a port for the transatlantic slave trade. The island
of Freetown was established as a settlement for 400 freed slaves brought there by the British in
1787. Freetown was declared a British Crown Colony in 1808 and the rest of Sierra Leone was made
a British Protectorate in 1896. This divided manner of colonial administration established tensions
between the capital region and the ‘up-country’ regions. Thus, Freetown – settled by outsiders who
received considerable support from anti-slavery campaigners and the seat of British colonial rule in
West Africa for a period - was privileged over the protectorate, populated by indigenous groups (the
largest being the Mende and Temne) and governed from afar. From 1935 to 1956 the diamonds of
Sierra Leone were extracted and exploited by a British company, a powerful de Beers cartel. The
Alluvial Diamond Mining Scheme, set up in 1955, created the possibility of legal mining by local
people, but in practice it was only the political elites and the Lebanese community, with their greater
access to capital, who could afford the licenses. Money from diamonds has therefore in practice
never been used for the development of the country. Diamond mining remains the main source of
hard currency earnings (accounting for about half of Sierra Leone’s export), but the illegal
exploitation is much higher than the legal exploitation (Schürings 2010: 14).
2.2 The Conflict in Sierra Leone
At independence in 1961, Sierra Leone had an apparently stable political system, dominated by two
parties, the Sierra Leone People’s Party - SLPP, which gained most of its support from the south and
the All People’s Party - APC with mostly support from the north of the country (Clapham 2003). The
education system was considered one of the best in Africa and the country was rich in natural
resources. It was ‘by no means an obvious candidate for state collapse’ (Clapham 2003: 9). Milton
Margai (SLPP) was appointed the first head of the independent state and was much loved by the
nation. However, following his death the SLPP were defeated by the APC in the 1967 elections and
Siaka Stevens became Prime Minister. Power was quickly consolidated and a one-party system
established in 1978. The following years, under Stevens and his successor Momoh, were
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characterized by mismanagement, corruption, patrimonialism and social, political and economic
exclusion of the majority of the population’ (Keen 2005).
The first signs of conflict were in 1991 when Foday Sankoh’s Revolutionary United Front (RUF)
attacked communities near the Liberian border. Whilst at first the incursion seemed to be
reasonably well contained a number of junior soldiers in the national army felt that they had been
inadequately supported by the government. Promising to quash the rebels, they overthrew the APC
regime and instated the National Provisional Ruling Council (NPRC). By 1995, still struggling to
control the rebels, the NPRC recruited a private South African security company Executive Outcomes
(EO). From a military perspective EO was successful and, with the help of a number of local civilian
militias, Civil Defence Forces (CDF), gained control of the capital and the diamond mining areas. The
RUF was forced to enter into peace negotiations and the Abidjan accord was signed in November
1996. However, the RUF’s lack of commitment to the Abidjan accord was soon apparent and the
following years involved repeated struggles for power, military coups and renewed negotiations.
In 1996 the SLPP won the elections and Kabbah was instated as President. However, the regime was
overthrown in May 1997 by a coalition made up of Sierra Leone Army and the RUF called the Armed
Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC). This prompted the first ECOWAS (Economic Community of
West African States) intervention led by a Nigerian detachment of ECOMOG (Economic Community
of West African States Monitoring Group) soldiers. The Kabbah government was reinstated in 1998
and the Lomé peace agreement was signed in 1999. A UN mission to Sierra Leone UNAMSIL was
established to monitor the agreement and replace ECOMOG’s peacekeeping duties. When Sankoh,
in violation of the Lomé agreement continued fighting and took 500 UNAMSIL soldiers hostage,
British troops intervened and finally ended RUF control. With UN involvement and international
support for the Kabbah government, the peace process got back on track. A process of disarmament,
demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) was established and the conflict was formally concluded on
18 th January 2002 with a Joint Declaration of End of War. National elections for the President and
Parliament were held in 2002 and local government elections were held in 2004.
By the end of the decade-long conflict in Sierra Leone between 50,000 and 75,000 people had been
killed, 4000 individuals had been the victims of purposeful amputations – only 1000 of whom
survived. The war involved the rape and forced sexual slavery of tens of thousands of women and
girls (Dougherty 2004), and more than half the population of the country had been displaced
(Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children, 2004). There remains considerable
debate over the causes of this war.
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2.3 Roots of the Conflict
Whilst the causes of the war still very much remain contested, some factors identified in the
literature include:
Diamonds
In July 2000 Sierra Leone’s Permanent Representative to the UN told the UN Security Council, ‘The
root of the conflict is and remains diamonds, diamonds, diamonds’. Diamonds have undoubtedly
fed into the conflict as an incentive for violence and as a way to fund the violence. The unequal way
in which people benefited from their extraction have also played a large role in creating general
discontent (Keen 2005). However, it is important not to overestimate their role to the neglect of
other factors, both internal and external. ‘It is a mistake to interpret the war as a systematic assault
on mineral resources with ultimately criminal – not political – motives’ (Meyer 2007: 8).
Political Economy of Shadow Statehood
Some authors argue that by the time the RUF attacked in 1991 the state of Sierra Leone was simply a
facade, behind which political insiders pursued essentially private forms of political management
and wealth accumulation (Reno 1995; Clapham 2003). Throughout his rule Stevens used a mix of
patronage and intimidation to build up the fortune of his ‘inner circle’. Encouraged by the World
Bank and the IMF in the 1970s and 1980s to move towards privatization, Stevens used government
control over import/export licenses to favour his political allies. When Momoh later approved
austerity measures to attract further IMF support those outside of the inner circle faced cuts to
already minimal social spending. Devaluation led to inflation. ‘All this redoubled the importance of
becoming – or remaining – a political ‘insider’ whilst deepening the resentment of those excluded
from this circle’ (Keen 2005: 76). When the ‘state’ came under attack in 1991 the leadership proved
unable to quash the violence and, it is argued, the ‘shadow state’ was revealed (Reno 1995).
Alienation of Youth
Recruits were often forcibly abducted, drugged, raped and made to commit atrocities against
members of their own community or family in order to remove from them the possibility of ever
returning home. However, it is also true that many youth supported the opposition and took up
arms at various stages of the conflict to support the SLA, CDF and RUF. Key to the creation of
grievances was the system of customary law and its abuses. Under indirect rule the British increased
the powers of the most important chiefs and the chieftancy was made a lifetime and inheritable
position (Keen 2005: 71). A number of authors have highlighted discontent among much of the rural
population at chief’s abuses including ‘excessive cash levies, unpopular land allocations, and the
punishment of dissenters’ (Keen 2005: 71). However, Richards has documented the ways in which
the impact of these abuses was felt disproportionately by male youths. Often the subjects of
arbitrary fines, their labour was effectively under the control of chiefs. Marriage rules and access to
land further left youths as quasi-slaves. Dowry payments would either indebt the youths to the
bride’s family or make marriage impossible leaving them unable to shake off their status as youth.
With the withdrawal of the state in the 1970s and the 1980s came the removal of even minimal
services to the rural population. Faced with such a bleak future, much of the violence is seen by
Richards as a plea for attention by these rural youth; ‘abandoned by the state and exploited of their
labour through local marriage rules, they were ripe for militia recruitment’ (Keen 2005: 585).
14

Education
Another contributing factor that has been identified as having had a key role in the creation of youth
grievances is the education system (Keen; Paulson; Wright). It has been described as ‘an accomplice
to rebellion’ (Wright 1997) and identified as a factor in the Sierra Leone Truth and Reconciliation
Commission’s section on ‘historical antecedents to the conflict’. The following section identifies a
number of ways in which education fed into the conflict.
Elitism and Inequalities in Access
Historically, Sierra Leone has had a well established education system. The country was known as
the ‘Athens of West Africa’ and the exclusive Fourah Bay College established in 1816 was ‘the
pioneer institution of higher education for the whole of West Africa’ (Hilliard 1957:13). However,
‘Sierra Leone has never truly had a mass system of education, but has taken pride in the
achievements of a minority fortunate to have access to quality education’ (Wright 1997: 21). In
1936 more than 50% of children in the colony of Freetown attended school, while less than 3% of
those in the protectorate did. By 1954 the percentage of children in school in the protectorate had
increased to 8%, but in Freetown at the same time approximately 85% of children attended school
(Hilliard 1957). Independence saw a rapid expansion in provision and under Sir Milton Margai access
increased greatly, particularly outside Freetown. Hopes were high and great emphasis was put on
the education system as an instrument for modernization. The drive for indigenization meant that
those with secondary education received prestigious jobs and education’s role as a mechanism of
social mobility was demonstrated. However, the sector declined under Steven’s government and
inequalities re-emerged as politicians favoured groups that constituted their power base. As Wright
states, new schools were established out of political expediency rather than as the outcome of
educational planning and, as a result, standards declined as a whole (1997: 20). The system also
came under great strain when, in the face of economic crisis in the 1980s, the IMF imposed cuts in
social spending. Fees were charged for primary and secondary schooling and by 1989 teachers had
not been paid for over twelve months forcing many schools to go on strike to protest (Richards
1996). The depth of the crisis in education, as well as historic attitudes towards the system were
underlined when President Momoh announced that ‘education is not a right, but a privilege’ (quoted
in Richards 1996: 19).
Unmet Expectations
As the system all but collapsed under the strain of corruption, patronage, weak governance, inflation
and economic crisis, students found it increasingly difficult to succeed, especially in the context of
low quality education which ‘had more to do with aping western culture and values than promoting
knowledge, skills and attitudes for a modern and independent African state’ (Wright 1997: 21).
Many authors have highlighted the unmet expectations of education as being a significant
contributing factor to the civil war. Whilst at independence nationals with little more than
secondary level qualifications were ‘catapulted to top positions’ (Wright 1997: 22), economic growth
and job creation soon began to lag behind the output of universities and schools, and education was
no longer sufficient to ensure employment. However, the spread of the globalised view of education
as a guarantee of upward social mobility continued to create a strong sense of delusion among
15

learners that society owed them something once they had gone through the system (Wright 1997).
The result was anger and frustration towards a system which had failed to deliver on its promises.
In fact, not only had education failed to deliver the ‘top jobs’ it had seemed to promise, it left many
feeling unable to enter into other viable occupations. Keen quotes a local worker with Catholic
Relief Services:
‘The education system has increased rebel and soldier numbers. A lot drop out of school
early and these do not have fair job opportunities and having gone to secondary school they
don’t want to go back to the villages and till the land. They feel their friends will laugh at
them and say ‘‘You’re still farming even though you went off to school!’’ (2005: 72).
It is in this context that The Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Alpha Wurie, may have
argued ‘partial education is more dangerous than illiteracy’ (quoted in Skelt 1997).
Impoverishment and Radicalisation
Whilst education failed to meet raised expectations and job opportunities disappeared, other
scholars draw attention to the context of impoverishment and radicalization that took hold in
schools such as Fourah Bay College. Scholars have disagreed over the importance of external factors.
Abdullah has established that individuals who would later become key leaders in the RUF were
among the 35-50 students who were trained in Libya as part of Charles Taylor and Colonel Gaddafi’s
radicalisation projects (Abdullah 1998). However, the speed with which students picked up texts
such as Gaddafi’s Green book, and the works of Frantz Fanon, Kwame Nkrumah and Che Guavara
speaks to a generalised rejection of the existing system. As the number of drop-outs increased,
partially educated students were forced to find work in the informal sector. In his analysis of the
Sierra Leone conflict Abdullah focuses on the emergence of this alienated group of ‘middle class
intellectual’ drop-outs and their interaction with the uneducated lumpenproletarian youth. He
argues that with a half-digested understanding of these radical texts, the middle class drop-outs
gained the respect of lumpen youth and the middle-class radicals gained a political constituency.
The situation of youth in Sierra Leone was of a precarious existence and to some extent rebels
capitalized on this group who saw incentives for violence. Paulson (2006) argues that for many
youth violence offered a way to overcome existing power structures in a society which presented
them with no educational or employment opportunities. For others it allowed them to seize land.
Keen (2005) argues that for others violence was a way in which to reverse a ‘loss of face’ associated
with dropping out of school. Others still sought educational opportunities in the RUF. Keen cites the
example of one boy he interviewed who fought for the SLA and was subsequently captured by the
RUF: both forces promised to send him back to school after the war finished (2005: 105). It is
important to note that many of those ‘recruited’ into the RUF did not go of their own accord.
However, it is also clear that ‘anger at the education system has fed forcefully into the conflict’ (Keen
2005: 48). As Keen highlights, the war occurred in the context of a globalized world to which Sierra
Leone has only partial access. Any analysis of the conflict must therefore pay attention to the
‘complexity of aspiration, frustration, desperation, incentive, violence and poverty within Sierra
Leone. Education, as it fed into conflict, was at once an untouchable dream, an ever-present
spectre, an ‘accomplice to rebellion’ (Wright, 1997: 20) and a visible target’. (Paulson 2006: 339).
16

2.4 Post-war Challenges
Whilst Sierra Leone has made progress in a number of areas since the end of the conflict in 2002,
there is consensus that a number of key challenges remain. In June 2006 Sierra Leone was accepted
as one of the first countries on to the agenda of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), part of the
new UN peacebuilding structure established by the UN Secretary-General in recognition of a lack of
strategy in the area. Following a long period of consultation with relevant stakeholders and
government (see Iro 2009 for more details of this process), the PBC identified peacebuilding priority
areas and produced the Sierra Leone Peacebuilding Cooperation Framework, the ‘promotion of
employment and empowerment of youth’ as the top priority. The Sierra Leonean conflict has been
the focus of a lot of research. However, there remains some agreement around the main challenges
and these guide the Joint Vision for Sierra Leone (which now guides all UN agency work in the
country) (UNIPSIL 2009), as well as the Government’s Agenda for Change (Republic of Sierra Leone
2008). Briefly these challenges are:
• Rural development
• Youth
• Health
• Government capacity, credibility and corruption
• Management of natural resources
• Infrastructure (including electricity, energy, water and transportation)
• Gender Inequality
Source: Paulson 2011
17

3. THE EDUCATION SECTOR
3.1 Impact of the war on the Education System
The war in Sierra Leone had a devastating effect on the education system. Whilst education systems
are often ‘caught in the crossfire’ what distinguishes Sierra Leone is the degree to which education
was specifically targeted for destruction. Consequences for the education system include:
• Destruction of physical facilities. The centrality of education in this conflict has been
demonstrated through a very large number of purposeful attacks on school and university
buildings; in 2003 a survey by the District Recovery Committee found that 55% of schools in the
country were ‘destroyed and in need of total reconstruction’ (quoted in Paulson 2006: 339).
Universities and teachers colleges were repeatedly attacked and secondary schools were often
targeted by ex-pupils who had joined the rebels (Wright 1997: 27).
• Abduction of staff and students. It was part of RUF tactics to abduct staff and students from the
educational institutions they attacked. However, whilst many were often forcibly abducted,
drugged and raped, Wright also argues that some joined the RUF of their own free will. This
raises a number of questions concerning the long-term impact of this phenomenon: What
happens if and when these ex-teachers and ex-students become reintegrated into society? What
kinds of values and expectations will they bring with them, and how will/should society
respond? (Wright 1997: 25).
• An interrupted education. In 1990, before the outbreak of war, enrolment at the primary level
for school-age children in Sierra Leone was only 55% (Republic of Sierra Leone 2001). These
limited educational services all but ceased during the conflict. It is estimated that up to 70% of
the school-age population had either limited or no access to schooling during the 10 years of
war, and that 68% of the population between the ages of 15 and 20 never participated in formal
education because of the war (Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children 2004).
• The impact of war on children. Many children were actively involved in or witnesses to the
violence of the war. One report assessing the traumatic reactions of children in displaced
camps, states that ‘the majority of the participants are experiencing intrusive recollections
associated with the events they witnessed’. The report claims that 99% of the children
interviewed were exposed to violence, 43% lost one or both parents and 20% lost brothers or
sisters. Of the sample, 54% saw family members being killed and 89% saw someone killed by
guns, 74% by machetes, and 68% saw someone burned alive to death (Retamal 2000: 3). How
best to deal with this degree of trauma? Projects such as RapidEd, a joint venture between
Unesco and Plan International attempted to tackle this by including psychosocial support
activities in their basic literacy programmes. However, as Sierra Leone moved from a
humanitarian phase to a more developmental period, funding for programmes tackling
psychosocial support have diminished and questions arise as to how the education system
should deal with the past.
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3.2 Post-War Education
A recent World Bank/MEST document (2006) states that, ‘Sierra Leone’s education system has made
a remarkable recovery’. It documents the large increase in enrolment rates and argues that the
quality of education has been maintained, with no decrease in the number of students passing the
National Primary School Examination (NPSE). Whilst a gender gap in enrolment still exists, these
achievements are impressive. Figure 2 charts primary school enrolment before, during and after the
war and shows the dramatic increase in enrolment since the end of the war.
Figure 2: Primary School Enrolment Trends, 1987-88-2004/05
Policies related to education
Central to this remarkable recovery has been the government’s commitment to education which it
has articulated through a number of key policies. The national policy framework is set by the
Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP). Sierra Leone’s first PRSP, A National Programme for Food
Security, Job Creation and Good Governance ran from 2002-2007. This was the recovery and
transition period; a phase where funding is often targeted towards security and political change with
less priority to education and other social programming. However, even in this stage the plan clearly
highlighted the need to expand basic education and training as a way to reach its third priority goal
of Promoting Human Development. PRSP II, The Agenda for Change (2008-2012), sets education as
a priority area along with roads, energy, agriculture and health.
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The Education Act 2004 (repealing the Act of 1964) is the key legislation governing the education
sector. The main change it instroduced was to provide a new 6-3-3-4 structure (see figure 3)
consisting of three optional years of pre-primary schooling followed by 6 years of primary schooling
and 3 years of junior secondary schooling (JSS). The Act made the six years of primary and three
years of junior secondary compulsory basic education. ‘Education after JSS is optional, and students
can continue on to senior secondary school, a Technical/Vocational Centre (TVC), or a polytechnic.
Tertiary education can be obtained from universities, colleges, and Technical/Vocational Institutes
(TVI)’ (ESP). It is an ambitious plan which aimed to move away from the grammar system inherited
in British colonial times and introduced vocational and technical training options in order to
recognise ‘the varied talents of the pupils’ and the ‘socio-economic needs of the country’ (World
Bank and MEST 2006: 16). New subjects such as indigenous languages and Sierra Leone studies
were also introduced which ‘aim to enhance a proper and positive understanding of Sierra Leone’
(Nishimuko 2009: 285).
Figure 3: Structure of the Sierra Leone Education System
Source: World Bank and MEST 2006: 17
The Act also set out legislation for the management of schools. There are three types of schools in
the formal education system. A government school is defined as a school managed by or on behalf
of the MEST and is often owned by the local government and district council. Private schools are run
as private businesses, receiving no public funds, but follow the same curriculum and syllabus as
government schools. Government-assisted schools are mainly established by religious organisations
and are recognised and assisted by the government in terms of the provision of teaching and
learning materials, teachers’ salaries and school subsidies. Currently, approximately 75% of primary
schools in Sierra Leone are owned and managed by faith-based organisations (FBOs) (Bennell,
20

Harding and Rogers-Wright 2004: 81). According to the Act all primary schools were to be controlled
and inspected by the Ministry. However, a number of authors have highlighted the confusion of
roles in relation to education management, particularly since the introduction of the Local
Government Act 2004 (see Boak 2010).
Finally, primary education was declared free in 2001 and the Education Act enshrines the right of all
Sierra Leoneans to free basic education. The government abolished school fees for all children in
primary schools and for girls in JSS in the Northern and Eastern Regions.
The third key policy relating to education is the Education Sector Plan (ESP) which was developed in
partnership with UNICEF and drew heavily on the World Bank led Country Status Report (CSR). The
ESP runs from 2007 to 2015 and the overarching mission of the Ministry is ‘to provide basic
education of quality for all in a phased manner, starting with the realisation of the right of all
children to quality primary education, whilst at the same time providing marketable skills training
and the relevant and appropriate tertiary education needed for advancement of the society and
poverty reduction’ (MEST 2007: i).
The plan states the overall order of priorities as follows:
Basic Education Vocational Skills Training Tertiary Education Pre-Schooling
It also sets goals around the following overall targets:
The total recurrent funding gap to implement ESP for the 9 year period 2007-2015 was calculated to
be US$254 million.
Financing
• Achieving Universal Primary Education and Completion of Quality
• Expanding and Improving Post-Primary Schooling
• Providing More and Improved Literacy and Skills Training Possibilities
• Meeting the Teacher Needs of an Expanding Schooling System
• Meeting our Human Resources Needs through Higher/Tertiary Education
• Providing Improved Governance, Planning and Management
• Providing Pre-school Opportunities for More Children
• Monitoring for Quality Improvement and Accountability
• Financing and Fiscal Sustainability of proposals
The ESP was developed in partnership with UNICEF as part of the process of applying for Education
For All-Fast Track Initiative (EFA-FTI) funding. The Fast Track Initiative (FTI) was launched in 2002 by
22 bilateral donors, development banks and international agencies. It was designed as a major
initiative to help countries achieve the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of Universal Primary
Education (UPE) by 2015. It was endorsed by the Development Committee of the World Bank as a
‘process that would provide quick and incremental technical and financial support to countries that
21
(ESP 2007-2015)

have policies but are not on track to attain Universal Primary Completion by 2015’ (World Bank
Development Committee 2003). As an outgrowth of the 2002 Monterrey Consensus, it was designed
as a mechanism that ‘explicitly links increased donor support for primary education to recipient
countries' improvements in policy performance and accountability for results’ (FTI 2004: 3). Its goals
include:
1. country preparation of a sound education sector plan addressing policy, capacity, data,
and funding gaps as well as a Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP);
2. endorsement of the plan by the country’s Local Donor Group, to signal to bilateral and
multilateral financiers that the plan is investment-ready
3. alignment and harmonization of donor support around this country-owned, investmentready
plan. (World Bank 2011)
The ESP was approved in 2007 and Sierra Leone became one of the first fragile states to secure FTI
funding. A pooled donor fund was established and US$13.9 million was approved for the period
2007 to 2009. This is a relatively small percentage (5%) of the funding gap identified by the ESP.
Furthermore, ‘the long, drawn out, bureaucratic process of securing FTI funding has been a
frustrating experience for all’ (Boak 2010: 39). The first portion, US$3 million, of the approved FTI
funding was only transferred in the last quarter of 2009.
Despite these difficulties, there has been a commitment to education from donors and the Sierra
Leone government since the end of the war. The sector has received high prioritisation in terms of
recurrent spending as a percentage of GDP (see figure 4).
Figure 4: Recurrent Expenditure on Selected Sectors as a Percentage of GDP, 2000-2005
Source DFID 2008
22

However, it is also important to note the mismatch in spending and sub-sector priorities. Despite
the ESP stating a prioritisation of basic education, figure 4 shows that MEYS actually spends over a
third of its education budget on tertiary education and the share for primary education has in fact
dropped and is well below the FTI benchmark of 50%.
Figure 4: Percentage Share of Education Budget by Selected Sub-Sector, 2008-2010
Source: Boak 2010: 26
Overall, however, donor funding in Sierra Leone has been seen as a success and is highlighted in the
recent Global Monitoring Report (GMR) 2011 on Armed Conflict. The report draws attention to the
fact that donors started increasing development aid to Sierra Leone even before the official
declaration of the end of the war in 2002 and have sustained this support long-term. Development
aid commitments grew by 70% between 2001-2002 and 2003-2004; relatively early in the postconflict
phase. By contrast, half of the aid received by Liberia in the period 2005-2006 was
humanitarian aid, whilst in the same period in Sierra Leone such aid made up just 9%. Secondly,
there was an early emphasis in Sierra Leone on strengthening the government‘s own systems.
‘Educational management information systems (EMIS) are a key element because they give
governments a tool to track resource allocation, identify areas of need and oversee teacher
remuneration’ (GMR summary p 33). By 2006, four years after the end of Sierra Leone’s civil war,
the country had put in place the framework for an EMIS (GMR 2011: 33). Furthermore, half of all aid
(for all sectors) in Sierra Leone is made up of budget support (DFID 2008). Whilst this type of
support is often seen to carry more risks for donors, the GMR highlights that it has been a factor in
contributing to Sierra Leone’s macroeconomic stability. Finally, the report argues that education
was put at the centre of the reconstruction process, with a strong focus on equity. As just one
example, budget support was used to finance subsidies to primary schools following fee abolition.
Overall, the suggestion is that early engagement, sustained over a significant period of time, and
with an early tranistion from humanitarian to development assistance through budget support is an
effective way to support peacebuilding through education.
23

3.3 Post-war Challenges for Education
Despite the successes of donor engagement in Sierra Leone a number of issues were repeatedly
raised during field-based interviews about remaining post-war challenges for education.
Systemic Issues
The following are a number of systemic issues that were identified:
• Large Class Sizes
• Lack of classroom space
• Low and unreliable teacher salaries
• Under-qualified teachers
• Lack of teaching and learning materials
• Inappropriate teaching and learning materials
The frequency with which they are mentioned points to the extent to which they continue impact on
the effectiveness of the system and therefore education programmes. As one respondent stated,
‘what can we really get done when there are 60 pupils in a class for a few hours a day?’. Every one
of these issues identified has been specifically addressed in the Education Sector Plan which has
been acknowledged by donors as a very credible document. However, donors remain slow to fund
its implementation and whilst some FTI funding has now been transferred, the first total approved of
US$13.9 million makes up just 5% of the funding gap identified by the plan. These systemic issues
continue to pose challenges and have direct implications for effectiveness of German programming.
The question is whether to continue operating programmes despite the fact that these things will
impede them, or do you get behind the ESP and simultaneously work to address these issues in
order to create a more fertile environment for your more distinctive programmes?
Separation between vocational training and academic education
The ambitious new 6-3-3-4 structure introduced in Sierra Leone aims to increase student choice in
order to recognise ‘the varied talents of the pupils’ and the ‘socio-economic needs of the country’
(World Bank and MEST, 2006: 16). However, there is a strong structural separation between the two
areas of education (as shown clearly in figure 3) which in practice narrows student options very early
in their schooling and results in many more choosing to follow the traditional academic routes.
According to interview data the lack of well-taught science options at primary and JSS level leads
many to choose arts subjects, thus excluding themselves from later continuing on to vocational
training. The structural separation makes it difficult to move between different types of institutions
at a later stage. The existence of these dual systems and the fact that most vocational training is still
carried out by NGOs and donors means students are unable to use vocational certificates to gain
admission to polytechnics and universities. This leads to a situation where one college alone has
over 800 students studying a diploma in Peace Studies partly as a way to enter higher education.
In addition, donors commonly argue that it is too expensive to provide vocational training for the
entire student population and that a natural choice point arises, making it effective to provide to
routes (vocational or academic) from this point onwards. This may be the perception in a countries
where there is no perceived difference in status between the two options. However, it is important
24

to recognise that the Sierra Leone education system has been heavily based on a British system
which prided itself on providing prestigious academic education to an elite, whilst vocational
education is often perceived as lower status. A separation of the vocational from the academic is
unlikely to change those attitudes towards vocational options.
Dealing with the past
A particular gap identified in the fieldwork was how education may help society deal with the past,
help younger generations understand what happened during the war and why and what might
prevent it happening again. Talking about the war is clearly a sensitive and contentious issue and
differences of opinion exist over whether or how this should be done, and at what level of schooling
it should begin. However, most of those we interviewed did suggest that education does have a
role. UNICEF produced a Children’s Version of the Sierra Leone Truth Reconciliation Commission
(SLTRC) Final Report, the first time such a tool has been compiled to accompany a truth commission
report (UNICEF 2004a). At the launch of the Final Report, in October 2004, a boy and a girl, both
aged 12, addressed the assembly, including the President and the Special Representative of the
Secretary General in Sierra Leone. Among other things they recommended:
• That the Child-Friendly Version be incorporated in the School Curriculum and that the version
should be made available to every child;
• We want to see the needs of war affected children being addressed in a much more pragmatic
way: This includes measures to meet the basic needs of children and their families, including
improved access to quality education, health care and nutrition, water and Sanitation, the
elimination of child labour and sexual abuse/exploitation and recreational space for children
• We want the role of education in building a culture of respect for human rights, especially in
relation to the development of educational materials on peace, human rights and democracy for
use in both formal and non-formal educational settings (quoted in UNICEF 2004b)
A Senior Secondary School Version of the SLTRC was also produced by the NGO, TRC Working Group.
However, there appears to have been poor dissemination of the SLTRC and of both these versions.
Whilst some of those interviewed were aware of the existence of these reports, very few had
actually read them. This corroborates the findings of both the TRC Working Group (2006) and a
study conducted by Paulson (2006) which found that the resources were not being used.
Some of these issues may also be addressed in a new module entitled ‘Emerging Issues’ which is now
included in the teacher training curriculum. Initiated in 2007, this represented an attempt by
UNICEF, MOEYS and teacher training colleges to streamline the many ad hoc alternative educational
interventions that had been instigated in the humanitarian phase to address issues identified by
stakeholders as important for post-conflict Sierra Leone. The programme focuses primarily on four
themes - human rights, civics and democracy, gender, and health and environment. It also places
emphasis on the methodology of interactive learning and a constructivist approach to teaching, ‘as
each of the topics requires a behaviour change’ (Baxter and Bethke 2009: 120). It is also hoped that
formal curricula will also be developed at some stage by the curriculum development sector of the
Ministry. The form that this should take is however still the topic of some debate.
25

4. GERMAN FUNDED PROGRAMMING
4.1 German Development Cooperation (GDC) in Sierra Leone
German Development Cooperation (GDC) has been active in Sierra Leone since 1968 and its
operations were heavily impacted by the civil war. Not only were pre-war activities disrupted in the
1990s due to the violence; once resumed, interventions were re-directed to address the challenges
posed by the new context. After an immediate post-war period, interventions, which had mainly
taken the form of humanitarian assistance (including disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration
projects targeting former combatants, and repatriation and reintegration programmes targeting
refugees), reverted to their original goal of promoting the country’s development. Today, while
there is neither a country strategy nor a priority area strategy for Sierra Leone, as this is not a
partner country for bilateral GDC (GDC for Sierra Leone is instead supported by a special fund for
four fragile states in West-Africa), work has been guided by a Chapeau-paper (2007). The document
classifies Sierra Leone as a fragile state (p. 2).
In line with official development policy the Federal German government and BMZ 2 , have made
conflict-sensitive design and Peace and Conflict Assessments (PCA) 3 a binding requirement for all
GDC’s implementing organisations active in fragile contexts. A review of project documents reveals a
strong commitment to mainstreaming conflict prevention and peacebuilding as a cross-cutting issue
in post-war Sierra Leone. The war, and its causes and consequences, seem to have been a central
concern in the design of GDC programmes. Overall, their rationale explicitly presents links between
the intended objectives of programming activities, on the one hand, and peacebuilding, on the other
hand. For instance, several infrastructural projects were supported by both KfW and GTZ on the
grounds that a functioning social and economic infrastructure which meets the basic needs of the
overall population is a prerequisite for peace and development (‘Fast and visible reconstruction
sends out positive signals and consolidates peace in the post-war situation’). 4
Also, in the emergency
period (until 2004), demobilisation and reintegration programmes were supported by the KfW,
together with GTZ, with the rationale that these were ‘a major precondition for a lasting peace and
successful stabilisation in a post-war country‘. The KfW has also supported employment
programmes in cooperation with GTZ. ‘High unemployment, extreme social inequality, poverty and
lack of prospects, particularly among young people, are potential causes for new conflict and
violence among the population. Therefore, employment and vital income are crucial prerequisites
for stabilising a country after a violent conflict.’ Private Sector Development (PSD) has been
considered a key in poverty alleviation and economic development, and ultimately peace and
security. As stated by GTZ, ‘the general goals of PSD interventions in post-conflict recovery may be
described as “2+2”, two short term goals (security + peace dividend) plus two long term goals
(addressing conflict causes + reforms)’ (GTZ, PSD-conflict-guidebook, 2008: 61). Another GDC priority
2 These documents include the BMZ concept Civil conflict prevention, conflict resolution and post-conflict peacebuilding
(2000), the German Government’s Action Plan for Civilian Crisis Prevention, Conflict Resolution and Post-
Conflict PeaceBuilding (2004), the BMZ Sector Strategy for Crisis Prevention, Conflict Transformation and Peace-
Building in German Development Cooperation (2005), and the BMZ Strategy Development-oriented transformation in
conditions of fragile statehood and poor government performance (2007).
3 The required PCAs include the following four steps: i) peace and conflict analysis and assessment of peacebuilding
needs (PBN); ii) peace and conflict-related relevance assessment of an existing or planned portfolio; iii) conflictsensitive
risk management for DC measures; and iv) peace and conflict-related impact monitoring.
4http://www.kfwentwicklungsbank.de/EN_Home/Sectors/Developing_peace/Activities_of_KfW_Entwicklungsbank.js
p.
26

has been the promotion of good governance and of national and local institutional development,
including the promotion of functional justice and police sectors, effective and participatory
decentralised structures, anti-corruption and conflict resolution mechanisms.
4.2 GDC and Education Programmes
In general, education has been a priority area for both KfW and GTZ. In its report Poverty reduction
begins in people’s minds, KfW defines education as ‘a key to poverty reduction and development’ as
well as a key to social and political empowerment and engagement, and to improved health (KfW,
‘Portfolio analysis of the education sector’, p.4). GTZ, has expressed a strong belief in the close link
between education and peacebuilding. In its view, ‘Education is a precondition for peace building
and crisis prevention.’ 5
GTZ educational interventions have been based on the principle that,
‘Education...can make a significant contribution to preventing violent conflicts and consolidating the
ability of societies to manage tensions in a peaceful manner. The stabilisation and reconstruction of
the education system and its structures is of major significance above all in violence-based
emergency situations for the protection of adolescents and to guarantee the elementary
prerequisites for a peaceful development in the future.’ (GTZ, FACT Sheet Education and Conflict
2005: 2).
In post-war Sierra Leone, educational interventions have been integrated into the design of a large
number of GDC programmes. Partnerships and collaborations have been forged with key
educational actors, including the Ministry of Education (Ministry of Education, Science and
Technology - MEST, now renamed Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports - MEYS), which has been
one of the lead implementing agencies of major educational projects. Planned and implemented in
collaboration with both public and private agencies and partners (private sector and NGOs), either as
part of emergency and relief or development aid, GDC educational measures have comprised
activities, both in the field of service delivery and governance. As part of its rural development
projects, GDC has supported education with the aim to enhance its accessibility and quality and to
contribute to the achievement of the two education-related Millennium Development Goals - MDG
2 (universal primary education) and MDG 3 (gender equality). As part of these projects, schools,
vocational training centres and teacher training facilities have been built or rehabilitated and
equipped, relevant curricula and teaching and learning materials have been developed, and teachers
and facilitators have been trained and upgraded in their subject matter, and, in some cases, in skills
such as mediation. Also, school feeding programmes have been sponsored with the aim to improve
access to primary education (WFP-implemented PRRO-project). With a focus on non-formal basic
6
and adult education and vocational training largely linked to employment promotion projects.
Educational interventions mainly targeted the poor, marginalised, disadvantaged and highly
vulnerable groups living in both urban poverty zones and rural areas across the country (taking into
5 http://www.gtz.de/en/leistungsangebote/12537.htm.
6‘During the last three decades KfW Entwicklungsbank provided a total of EUR 916 million to finance measures
aiming to improve the educational situation worldwide; of this amount, EUR 732 million went to primary education,
EUR 109 million were for vocational education, EUR 46 million went to support institutions of higher education, and
EUR 29 million were for secondary education. Since the mid-1990s financing for primary education projects made
the most substantial gains over the other subsectors. Most of the funds flow to Africa and Asia.’ Poverty reduction
begins in people’s minds (June 2004). It must be noted, however, that, in 2009, in terms of KfW funding allocations,
‘Education’ (3%), only preceded by ‘Food security, agriculture/fishery’ (2%) and ‘Peacebuilding and Crisis
Prevention’ (1%), was the third last among the 11 BMZ priority sectors. KfW, Africa – Rich in diversity and
opportunity. Annual report 2009 on cooperation with developing countries (May 2010), 73.
27

account the political/ethnic regional divide between the north and the south), as well as in waraffected
border districts with high concentration of IDPs. These groups have included children;
youth; girls and women; school drop-outs and illiterate adolescents; secondary-school-leavers in
need of vocational training; returning internally displaced youth who had fled to urban areas and to
artisanal diamond mines, where they had been living in abject poverty, hunger, and unemployment;
and former child soldiers. A wide range of skills and competencies have been promoted, including
numeracy, (functional) literacy, professional/technical and life skills, sometimes as part of the same
project, and in combination with income-generating activities and psycho-social counselling.
Secondly, with the aim to strengthen capacity as well as good governance and accountability of the
education system, GDC has been involved in activities such as advisory assistance and capacity
building of the ministry of education (e.g. capacity review by NFE, Apprenticeship Framework Policy
for Sierra Leone), MoE/district education officials, as well as of teachers, instructors, artisans
involved in vocational apprenticeship schemes, and social workers; monitoring activities through
close collaboration with MYS, MEST and the Joint Monitoring Committee; and the promotion of
decentralisation of education administration and of participatory structures, including communities'
participation in school management.
4.3 Contribution of GDC Education Programmes to Peacebuilding
In some cases, peacebuilding has been directly promoted through, for instance, conflict resolution
trainings and workshops. In other cases, it has been promoted indirectly, by tackling the actual and
potential causes of conflict and tensions themselves, and in particular large unemployment among
youth and bad governance resulting from practices such as corruption as well as limited capacity. In
other cases, especially in the immediate aftermath of the civil war, efforts were made to deal with
the consequences of the war, such as the need for infrastructural reconstruction and for the social
and economic reintegration of ex-combatants.
Below is a description of the ways in which selected GDC educational interventions, mainly
integrated into broader programmes, have promoted peace and human security in post-war Sierra
Leone.
4.3.1 Infrastructural development and service delivery
Official GDC acknowledges the peacebuilding relevance of catering for the population’s basic needs,
in an equal manner. Service delivery, first and foremost visible through infrastructural efforts, is
accepted as necessary to build/strengthen public trust in the government’s willingness and capacity
to provide for its population. From this perspective, school construction has the potential to
indirectly promote peacebuilding. For example, joint school-construction initiatives, as part of the
Youth Resettlement and Reintegration (YRR) project, brought together returnees and host
communities to work for a common cause, thereby promoting social reconciliation at the local level.
The 2010 EPP evaluation also mentioned the appreciation among the communities, and especially
among women, of the importance of the road infrastructural work of the KfW ‘Pro-Poor Growth for
Peace Consolidation Programme’ (GPC) through their potential to enhance girls’ safety from sexual
harassment when travelling to school (Schuring 2010: 46).
28

4.3.2 Social and economic reintegration of ex-combatants
During the emergency period, GTZ and KfW promoted educational activities in Sierra Leone in
support of the DDR process through the 2000-2004 KfW projects ‘Sierra Leone: Rebuilding Rural
Infrastructure’ and ‘Support for the National Demobilisation Programme’, and the GTZ project
7
‘ReAct (Reconciliation, Reintegration and Rehabilitation Activities)’. Their overall objective was to
contribute to the peace process (and to economic reconstruction in rural areas) by promoting the
social integration of ex-combatants into local communities. As part of these projects, educational
infrastructures in rural areas were built or rehabilitated, and technical and vocational training,
coupled with psycho-social counselling and reintegration training, were offered to more than 2,000
people. As an integral part of the training, a number of schools were built and rehabilitated,
permitting the enrolment of ca. 3,300 pupils. While the target groups for these training programmes
were primarily, and initially limited to, ex-combatants, they later also included youth and women.
Through a gender-sensitive approach, which included training courses catering for women and the
establishment of nurseries at the training centres, the project included the participation of women
who had been largely neglected due to restrictions dictated by the DDR process which defined
women as ex-combatants in only limited cases. With regard to the peacebuilding impact of these
projects, no systematic evaluation of impact indicators was undertaken, but qualitative evidence
suggests that the overall objective of contributing to post-war peace consolidation and
reconstruction had been achieved. Particularly successful for the purpose of conflict prevention
seems to have been the joint training of ex-combatants and local villagers, with the majority of
villages involved being assessed as largely violence-free. As far as economic reintegration is
concerned, surveys suggest that the project was successful in its contribution to the improvement of
participants’ life conditions by leading to income-generating activities for the majority. 8
4.3.3 Youth employability
The ‘Chapeau-paper’ which guides GDC in the country defines ‘Private Sector Development and
Employment Promotion’ as the GDC priority, with a focus on the development of sustainable
employment opportunities for poor and young people. In line with BMZ’s Cornerstones of Youth
Employment Promotion (YEP2) (2006), and BMZ strategy entitled ‘Vocational training and the labour
market in development cooperation’, GDC programmes in Sierra Leone have included a youthoriented
‘integrated’ strategy for economic and employment development. This aims to combine
and link investment in the labour force through skill development and qualifications (employability)
with stimulation of labour demand through private sector development (employment
9
opportunities). Within this framework, education, especially in the form of vocational training, has
been one of the GDC primary areas of intervention. 10
A number of BMZ-funded projects have been
7 Summary of the evaluation-report ”KV – Reconstruction of Rural Infrastructure” (12-2004); Sierra Leone:
Reconstruction of Rural Infrastructure (Phases I and II). Ex-posto evaluation (2004); Sierra Leone: Support for the
National Demobilisation Programme (Phases I and II). Final inspection/ ex-posto evaluation (2006).
8 83% of the participants who were surveyed benefited from the project in the form of generated income. For 43% of
them, the skills they were taught were their sole means of earning an income; in 2004, at least 50% of the
participants in training measures were still working in the job in which they had been trained.
9 PFK_Bericht_EPP_Sierra Leone (11-06-2008), 10. See also, KfW, Innovative approaches to promoting vocational
training and employment (August 2008).
10 Other areas are private sector and infrastructure development, agricultural rehabilitation and food security
promotion, and development of micro finance and credit systems. FC programs (Pro-Poor Growth for Peace
Consolidation - GPC, microfinance sector program, and ProCredit).
29

geared towards promoting the employment of the youth, and their economic, social and political
empowerment. Numerous market-relevant and demand-oriented professional training courses of
various lengths (from several weeks to over one year) and in various trades (e.g., car mechanics,
basic electrics, and metal working and welding, hand pump maintenance and repair, masonry and
building/construction, bakery, agriculture, hairdressing, tailoring, beauty care), have been offered as
part of several projects, in some cases in combination with courses in functional literacy and the
promotion of more general entrepreneurial skills (leadership and project management). As these
programmes evolved during the post-conflict period a number of previous programmes have been
integrated within a single GTZ Employment Promotion Programme (EPP). This was one of the
programmes that was considered in more detail as part of the field study (see section 4.4 below).
4.3.4 Social and civic values and competences
A number of GTZ-projects (e.g., ReAct, ‘Basic Education Project’, Resettlement and Reintegration
programme for displaced youth – YRR, NFE), have promoted peace and human security by
addressing social skills, values, attitudes and behaviours. This (psycho-)social component has
generally been integrated into non-formal education and training curricula, as well as into broader
youth programming and community development programmes, in combination with economic
aspects. This has included activities in the field of peace education and conflict resolution education/
civic education, such as mediation, conflict transformation/management trainings, problem-solving,
reconciliation sensitisation workshops, youth outreach work and integrative/social activities (e.g.
sporting events, community services such as street cleaning, and celebrations, youth clubs, peace
carnivals, cross-border encounter initiatives/peace camps), as well as awareness raising in relation to
11
such issues as gender, health (including reproductive health), hygiene and sanitation, nutrition,
environment, and corruption.
One of the expected results of this psycho-social component has been the promotion of social and
political youth empowerment and the strengthening of civil society and democracy. Conflict
resolution training, in particular, is considered to promote attitudinal changes in the community
(including the traditional way of dispute resolution), which can enhance opportunities for youth to
participate in local decision-making processes and to ensure that their interests, needs and concerns
are effectively and fairly addressed. An impact assessment study revealed the actual peacebuilding
impact of one of these projects. YRR was said to have led to increased youth participation in the
resolution of minor disputes and in local decision-making. Also, cross-border initiatives were
regarded as having made a contribution to the sub-regional peace at the local level by promoting
cross-border confidence-building (Hakobyan, 2010). Even if limited to very few communities, this
positive impact was said to be clearly noticeable in the significantly improved perceptions of
12
targeted communities towards Liberians and Guineans.
Another project, this time through formal education, is the GTZ project which supports Sierra
Leone’s Anti-Corruption Commission in its efforts to prevent and combat corruption. With a strong
focus on the education sector, this project has schools and students as its main target group.
11 In her EPP evaluation, Schuerings reports an incident whereby women who were being sensitised about FGM by an
NGO representative resorted to violence (‘they even stoned the lady and vandalised stores’) due to the ‘insensitive
approach to discuss publicly Female Genital Mutilation - FGM, which is traditionally carried out in secret ceremonies’
(53).
12 091202_Peacebuilding_assessement_SL.pdf.
30

Activities have included the development of various educational materials (cartoon posters, a
teacher manual, and reading materials for primary and secondary schools in support of the new
school subject ‘Emerging Issues’), teacher training on corruption issues, as well as the funding of
‘integrity clubs’ in secondary schools and special events involving students. The ‘Offer to implement
the project ‘Fighting Corruption in the education sector, Sierra Leone’ (2008–2011) 13 underlines the
importance of combating Sierra Leone’s widespread ‘culture of corruption’ by focusing on the
education sector, and children and young people in school. The Offer acknowledges that ‘it is
particularly important to start early by teaching children and young people, the citizens of
tomorrow, values such as honesty, integrity and responsibility.’ The programme document states
that children ‘are affected by corruption in many ways, such as in the form of extra fees for tuition
and exams, or in extreme cases, of sexual exploitation. At the same time, they are the future of any
society and are seen as a driving force for the development of a society, which is why the teaching of
values is essential.’ In order to achieve sustainable impacts, the project advocates for the inclusion
of teaching about the negative impact of corruption as a compulsory component of the national
curriculum as well as of teacher education and training. The project has supported the ACC and the
MoE, in cooperation with UNICEF, to develop specific teaching and learning materials for students
and teachers and to create new curricula. 14 In addition, public outreach campaigns on corruption
issues have also targeted the population at large, mainly through radio and TV programmes and
print media, in order to raise awareness about the negative political and socio-economic impact of
corruption and about the possibilities of dealing with it.
4.3.5 Good governance and institutional capacity
Capacity-building has been mainstreamed into all GTZ projects by offering technical advisory services
and various training courses to stakeholders at all levels as a means to promote democratic
governance and to strengthen national institutions and civil society,
One of the most prominent GTZ activities targeting the formal education sector is its project in
support of the Anti Corruption Commission. Measures have included: accounting courses for school
directors, the monitoring of MoE funds for school books and school fees, and a greater involvement
of the School Management Committee (SMC). Also, capacity-building measures have targeted the
MoE with the aim of promoting independent planning, implementation and continuation of anticorruption
activities. Additionally, through NFE in particular, technical advisory services and training
courses have also been offered to MoE/district education officials, as well as teachers, instructors,
artisans involved in vocational apprenticeship schemes, and social workers. Through its advisory
services, for instance, a major part of capacity building for the Basic Education project consisted of
working on the Apprenticeship Framework Policy for Sierra Leone, together with several ministries,
including MEST. Also, EPP has supported Ministries in formulating and implementing youth and
employment policies. In this regard, Schürings’ evaluation found that the MOESS was very satisfied
with this support and that capacities had been strongly enhanced as a result (Schürings, 2010, 43).
Capacity development has also been promoted outside the education sector, targeting, for instance,
governmental institutions, including Ministries and local government bodies such as the district
13 2007 09 13 Angebot Korr.Bek13Sept07SL.doc ((13-09-2007).
14 As well as cooperating with UNICEF in the field of teacher training and curriculum development, the project also
complements the setting up by UNESCO of an Education Management Information System (EMIS).
31

councils and the decentralised ministry branches, as well as police and personnel in the justice
sector. In particular, an assessment of the impact of the SFR-YRR project, which promoted
participatory training workshops in local governance, project management, leadership and conflict
management (including a do-no-harm approach), concluded that one of its merits was to have
strengthened local ownership of development efforts and local and participatory decision-making,
thereby contributing to decentralisation, democratization and peace building process in the country.
Conversely, interviews conducted with communities as part of the 2010 EPP evaluation showed that
‘the participatory planning approach is often not appropriated’. According to the report, this should
be better understood and applied by communities, and should better engage women as well as the
youth (Schürings, 43).
4.4 GTZ Employment Promotion Programme (EPP)
The Employment Promotion Programme (EPP) is the major programme currently implemented by
GTZ in Sierra Leone. It is a highly complex programme with an ambitious aim to combine and link
investment in the labour force through professional up-skilling and qualification (employability) with
stimulation of labour demand through private sector development (employment opportunities),
while also promoting youth participation and representation. The programme is therefore highly
aligned to assessment of peacebuilding needs as youth unemployment is identified as a risk factor
for conflict in the UN Joint Vision for Sierra Leone. Conflict assessments and academic literature
highlight the role that youth played in the conflict claiming that they were easily mobilised, enlisted
and coerced to participate in the violent conflict as they were unemployed, disillusioned and had no
other avenue through which to make their voices heard. The rationale therefore follows that by
providing training (GTZ) and stimulating employment and private sector development (kfW), the risk
to future security would be reduced.
The current Employment Promotion Programme (EPP) was formerly known as ‘Employment
promotion for marginalized youth’ and has emerged through a rationalisation of a number of
previous projects. The ‘Basic Education Project’ (2004-2006) reached about 4,000 people and
included a catch-up programme, ‘Rapid Primary Education’ (RPE). It targeted those who had missed
out on education largely due to the war. 15 The ‘Technical and Vocational Education and Training’
programme (2006-2008) was implemented by the German Federal Agency for Technical Relief
(THW), 16 and the ‘Promotion of the Development Capacity of Youth’ (2007-2011) was implemented
by the German Consulting GOPA (4,000,000 EUR). All were integrated into a revised EPP (2006-10). 17
15 This component provided intensive preparation for the National Primary School Examination in Community
Education Centres (CEC). Lesson material were prepared in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Science and
Technology (MEST). An evaluation of this project criticised the frequent use of rote learning inhibiting critical
thinking, as well as students’ physical punishment by some teachers through the use of the cane. A. Ulbrich, Lessons
Learned and Recommendations GTZ Basic Education Project in Sierra Leone
16 THW Field Office Sierra Leone: German Technical Academy Sierra Leone. Cooperation Project BMZ-GTZ-THW
Graduates Employment Survey, September 2008, and Cooperation Project BMZ-GTZ-THW: Mobile Training Units Sierra
Leone, undated. THW had previously collaborated with UNAMSIL.
17 This re-adjustment followed a 2008 study which highlighted the overall little collaboration and synergy between
the various GDC projects/programmes.
32

Additionally, EPP has incorporated the highly successful resettlement component of the ‘Food
security, reconstruction and conflict management in Kailahun and Kono’ (FSR-programme), now
called ‘Voluntary Youth Resettlement & Reintegration of young people’ (VYRR).
EPP cooperates with the KfW ‘Pro-Poor Growth for Peace Consolidation Programme’ (GPC) aimed at
stimulating the economy and the labour demand. There are arrangements for joint action in the
same districts (Western Rural, the region with the highest unemployment rate; Kailahun and Kono in
the East, the districts most affected by the war with important diamond mines; Pujehun in the South
and Koinadugu in the North, selected for conflict-sensitive reasons in relation to the north-south
divide) (Schürings, 2010). A dual approach has been promoted through an apprenticeship scheme
which combines theoretical training provided by training centres and the THW-founded German
Technical Academy - GTA in Kissy/Freetown (now run by the private company Security Support
Group International - SSGI), and practical training offered by the owners of local workshops who
have received training and subventions for tools and materials. Career development support/
counselling has also been offered to orient students towards the labour market. Technical skills,
especially in agricultural production, have also been promoted through projects targeting a wider
audience, mainly with the aim to rehabilitate livelihood in the community (see, Welthungerhilfe, as
part of YRR) 18
. The THW mobile unit WATSAN provided community members, especially women,
with technical skills combined with health education.
This integration of previous projects into EPP has been summarised by earlier reports (see below):
18 Monitoring Unit, Final Report, p. 21, quoted in Schorosch & Schmitt, 30.
33

Integrated Approach:
Private sector development
& education & vocational
training & job creation
Youth Employment Promotion (EPP):
Pro Poor Growth for Peace Consolidation (GPC)
First phase: 1/2006-3/2010
(KfW – NaCSA 2007-2008 + GTZ 2009-2013)
(GTZ with local partners)
Economic & Social Enterprise Development
Direct Action Public Private Partnerships Infrastructure (ESI) Fund (EDF)
- 38 economic projects - Focus on agricultural pro- - Feeder town roads - Feasibility studies
- Focus on agriculture duce and value chains
- Markets, stores - Planning
- Klin Salone, Freetown - Organic and fair trade
- Lorry parks, paddocks, etc - Training
- Young entrepreneurs - Investment promotion
- Stadium, community centres (pre-investment
� Quick job creation � New economic ventures assistance)
Restructuring process Policy 7/2008->10/2010
advice
� Economic activities � New & growing enterpr.
- National employment survey and database
District Support Cross-cutting issues
- DC training/qualification - HIV/AIDS mainstreaming
Restructuring process 7/2008-10/2010
- District development plans - Gender - HTP
- Project preparat. & supervision - Peace & conflict monitoring
� Local ownership � Social coherence
Youth Employment Promotion (EPP)
1. Second phase: 4/2010-3/2013
(GTZ with local partners)
Three components:
1. Advising policy-makers on the promotion of youth
employment in selected districts
2. Regional economic development (incl. WHH STABEX)
3. Needs-oriented qualification of youth
2.
Merged with EPP 6/2010
Non Formal Education (NFE)
(GTZ and GOPA)
Functional Literacy Vocational Training
- Alphabetisation & numeracy - Construction
- Agriculture - Metal work
- Technical skills (as appropriate) - Car mechanics
- Electricity
- Tailoring
- Cosmetics - hairdressing
� Income Generation � Employment or Business
Merged with EPP 1/2009 The TVET-ProjectEPP
ended in 12/2008
Former Food Security and Reconciliation (FSR) ->
Voluntary Youth Resettlement and Reintegration VYRR
(GTZ)
Reintegration of returnees and Rural economic development
- Return and reconciliation - Housing, sanitation, facilities
- Nutrition, hygiene, HIV/AIDS - Better social/health status
- Rehabilitation of farms - Agricultural value chains
- Off-farm income generation - Village industries
� Rebuild viable communities � New economic ventures
Source: H. Schürings (2010), adapted from GTZ-EPP: Schorosch, F., Schmitt, K.: Enhancing Coordination
and Synergy, draft Report, 2008:15.
34
Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET)
(THW)
German Technical Academy 4 Mobile training units
- 10 months training - 3 months training
- 3 weeks/ 3 days training
� Urban employment � Rural enterprise and
and business community development

In terms of their impact, an evaluation of the THW GTA-project considered it to be highly successful,
as it appeared to have secured employment and on-the-job-training opportunities to more than 80%
of its graduates, thereby improving their livelihood. 19
The 2010 independent interim evaluation of
EPP concluded that, ‘the number of trained people is not high, but employability is high and the
training responds to a need of competencies in a business area which is important for the economic
development of the country. Trainees and Trainers are very satisfied with this training which is well
organised, rigorous (“typical German”), there are no school fees, but a strong selection process
among 200-300 candidates’ (Schürings 2010, 51-52).
With regard to the skills training provided through the NFE-project, the 2010 independent interim
evaluation of EPP assessed this to be performing ‘widely under the indicators... mainly due to delay
in the construction/ rehabilitation of centres’. Schürings observed that, ‘the effect on employment
differs highly depending on the region’ 20
(Schürings 2010, 38). One particular project supported by
the GTZ–EPP between 2006 and 2008 - Klin Salone, a waste management system organised by youth
groups in Freetown – has been regularly mentioned in programme documentation as being an
example of best practice. According to the 2010 EPP evaluation, not only did this project lead to
employment promotion, but it also contributed to a new positive image of empowered youth and to
an increase in self-esteem among the youth themselves. The evaluation concludes, ‘the GTZ–EPP -
label in Freetown at that time was that GTZ is empowering youth... This label was a symbol of giving
hope to young people, which was most important after a war, where mainly young people were
considered responsible for the atrocities and the duration of the war (Interviews with YES,
Environment Officer City Council Freetown, former Teamleader)’ (Schürings 2010, 50).
The evaluation also deemed positive the impact of the EPP on the communities it has targeted. Its
conclusion was that, by empowering the communities, EPP has strengthened local problem-solving
and self-reliance, as well as leading to increased income and living conditions (54). On the negative
side, as well as inadequate cooperation of EPP with the formal public TVET sector (38), the
evaluation recommended that, ‘Cross cutting issues like peace and conflict monitoring and gender
equality should be enhanced’ (8). The evaluation also identified the EPP lack of a gender analysis or a
gender strategy from a peacebuilding perspective, ‘The change of gender roles is an important issue
of peace building to prevent violence and contributes largely to economic growth (World Economic
Forum 2008)’ (Schuring, 47). In addition, the evaluation cautions that, ‘Cocoa farmers and cattle
herders belong to the richer social strata in rural areas. It may even arise that by the EPPinterventions
contribute to increasing the disparities between social classes. Therefore, special
19 PPR report of the EEP pp. 11–14. Notice Schurings’ observation that, ‘For GTA-graduates, the survey from 2008
indicates that out of 59 graduates, 34% had a permanent job, were self-employed, or causal workers. The majority
(66%) continued the training as apprentices or students. This result is in contradiction to the mentioned high
employment rate (85% in the TWH Fortschrittsbericht 5.2008) and to the interview with a supervisor of GTA in
SSGI.’ As for the mobile training component, Schurings reports that ‘The tracer study (THW 2008) showed, that the
permanent employment rate for graduates from the three months container trainings (organised by THW from 2006
to 2008) is ranging depending on the course from 0% to 8, 9, 10, 27, 33, 44%’ (Schurings 51).
20 Tracer Studies conducted among a rather unrepresentative sample of graduates six months after the start of the
programme in Kailahun, Koidu (Kono) and Waterloo (Western rural) (44.4% of 191 graduates in Kailahun, 16.9% of
189 graduates in Koidu, 65% of 208 in Waterloo – Western Rural), reported that 86.1% (90.4% male, 77.8% female),
20.7% (23.8% male, 12.5% female) and 3.6% (5.3% male, 1.6% female), respectively, were employed.
35

attention should be given to women and to the inclusion of the poorest in local development’
(Schuring, 54-55).
The relevance of GTZ’s focus on TVET in relation to peacebuilding and conflict prevention was widely
acknowledged by those interviewed in-country. Whilst opinions varied as to the extent and the form
of potential future unrest, most interviewees pointed at the continuing security threat posed by high
levels of youth unemployment. References were frequently made to recent civil unrest in Northern
African countries such as Tunisia. High unemployment was attributed to various factors, including
poverty, bad governance (e.g. corruption, nepotism) as well as a dysfunctional, elitist and largely
irrelevant education system. Addressing the needs of the youth, described by one interviewee as ‘a
time bomb’, was thus generally mentioned as a priority in the country. This need to engage the
youth was also recognised by the young people interviewed. Although they stated that they,
themselves, would not resort to violence today, they recognised that, in the past, youth had played a
negative role in the war. It was claimed that uneducated youth had been manipulated into
participating in the violence, either willingly or under duress. In general, in order to respond to the
urgent need to occupy unemployed youth, the importance of capacity development of manpower
through TVET and non-formal training was frequently underscored.
However, our fieldwork also raised a number of more critical questions. Firstly, GTZ has favoured an
approach which focuses on small numbers of direct beneficiaries in order to guarantee good quality
of training. Whilst the youth interviewed genuinely appreciated the training that was offered by
GTZ, their still had considerable frustration at continuing lack of employment. It is important to note
that the majority of youth interviewed were in Koidu, an area repeatedly acknowledged by GTZ to
present consistent difficulties in terms of job creation. Those interviewed claimed they were unable
to capitalise on their new skills as they lacked tools, sufficient capital, upgraded technical and
entrepreneurial skills or contacts to start their own business and compete in the job market. From a
peacebuilding perspective, it is important to consider whether, despite increased skills, training is in
fact contributing to peacebuilding or whether contrarily it may be exacerbating feelings of
dissatisfaction if expectations of employment are still not met.
An important aspect of the programme is Non Formal Education (NFE) which aims to engage youth
to have active participation in social, economic, and political activities of the country. In recognition
of the low level of education of the majority of participants, training courses in functional literacy
have been introduced. These are important in helping participants learn how to market their new
skills and negotiate jobs. However, as Hakobyan’s assessment highlighted in, one important element
that is missing in the empowerment programme is training in political literacy. 21
Many youth
participants interviewed during fieldwork still felt their voice continued to be unheard on a day-today
basis. Whilst the majority expressed a belief in the power of the ballot, their understanding of
other forms of political participation was limited.
Particularly positive impressions were collected with regard to the peacebuilding relevance of the
youth resettlement and training component of the EPP programme. This is a continuation of the
21 Hakobyan (2010) Peacebuilding Relevance Assessment of German Development Cooperation in Sierra Leone
36

GTZ-UNHCR programme for the repatriation of IDPs. The GTZ FSR programme was said to be
considered by the UN as the only successful long-term project in this field. This holistic programme,
which focuses on hard-to-reach communities, accomplishes a number of goals simultaneously: it
identifies displaced youth in Freetown slums and Kono mining areas; it negotiates their return to
their village in a way that they are accepted back to the community; it provides resettlement
support, counselling and health education, as well as agricultural training to encourage the
development of farming skills that are an asset to the village (as well as contributing to the food
security of the country); it promotes reconciliation by requiring resettled and community members
to work together. This aspect of the programme could provide a useful case study for the EFA Global
Monitoring Report (2012) of a holistic approach to skills development that also makes a contribution
to peacebuilding.
4.5 German-funded NGOs and Education Programmes
German civil society, including a number of Churches and NGOs, has also been involved in post-war
Sierra Leone. As well as rural development (tackling poverty and food insecurity) and health,
education has also been one of their sectoral priorities.
BMZ and AA have been the major sources of German funding of NGO projects in Sierra Leone.
Official funding, however, has also been complemented by donations from the German public. The
following are examples of educational interventions that have been carried out in Sierra Leone by
German Churches/NGOs, both with official and non-official financial support.
Examples of NGOs interventions targeting the education sector in Sierra Leone
Supporting infrastructural
development and service
delivery
Enhancing the
employability and
economic and social
integration of vulnerable
groups
Education Service Delivery
• Sensitization of parents on the importance of and the right to
education (WVG)
• School building and renovation (WVG)
• Provision of teaching and learning materials and school
furniture (WVG); library facility (also mobile library service)
equipped with required schoolbooks (KNSL) 22
• Teacher training and support (WVG)
• Provision of food, clothing, health care during training
(Caritas International - Germany)
• School sponsorship (KNSL)
• Adult education / functional adult literacy (EDD; KNSL; WHH;
Dvv International). 23
Up to 2007, Dvv International,
supported local NGOs (e.g. PEA, Sierra Leone Adult Education
Association – SLADEA), two institutes of higher learning, and
the Department for non-formal education in the Ministry of
Education active in this field. Its activities included:
o Literacy training
22 Given the success of the library service, funding has been recently granted by BMZ for a project aimed at the
reconstruction of a new larger library building in 2010
23A specialist adult education NGO (Federal umbrella association of the 16 regional associations of community adult
education centres in Germany (Volkshochschulen, VHS)), which had been supporting adult basic education in Sierra
Leone for over 25 years until 2007.
37

Promoting communities’
conflict resolution skills
Promoting communities’
food security, poverty
reduction, and
sustainable development
Promoting communities’
health, hygiene and
nutrition
Promoting good
governance of the
education sector
Promoting good
governance of sectors
other than education
o Training in vocational and income-generating skills,
coupled with support to self-help organizations
o Health education
o Peace education and promotion of international
exchanges
o Training of Teachers (ToT) and scholarships for adult
education study programmes at the Institute of Adult
Education and Extra Mural Studies (INSTADEX) at
Fourah Bay College
• Technical and Vocation Education and Training
o Study and planning for vocational education in faithbased
secondary schools (BW)
o Vocational training for the (war-)disabled, including
disabled young women (BW), former child soldiers
(BW), marginalised girls and young women (CI), and
disadvantaged young people (BW, EDD)
o Education for children in working conditions (BW)
• Peace education in schools and universities (AGEH)
• Peer mediation programmes in schools (KNSL)
• Training in Conflict Transformation, and ToT in conflict
resolution (BW); trainings in mediation, conflict resolution
and human rights for local partners, service providers,
including teachers, and for volunteer Peace Monitors, e.g. at
Community Mediation and Learning Centre (KNSL)
• Agricultural training and technical support to farmers groups,
cooperatives and enterprises (e.g. food crop processing and
marketing) (WHH, BW)
• Environmental awareness and education, and training in
environmental conservation measures (WHH)
• Technical training for health workers (WVG)
• Training in trauma counselling (BW, KNSL)
• Community hygiene and health education (including on safe
waste disposal and awareness-raising campaign on FGM,
STDs, malaria) (WVG)
• Nutrition education (and other child development issues) for
women (WVG)
Education Sector Governance/ Capacity building
• ToTs
• Establishment of school-management committees (WVG)
• Capacity building of decentralised local structures (BW, WHH)
and of civil society (partners organisations), including training
in peace work, e.g., an introduction to the "Do No Harm"
approach in development work, and impact analysis 24
(zfd/EED)
24 http://www.eed.de/en/en.col/en.col.a/en.sub.02/en.sub.news/en.news.67/
38

4.5 German-funded NGOs Education Programmes and Peacebuilding
The poor, disadvantaged and marginalised, especially in rural areas, have been the main target
group of NGOs’ development assistance. Children, youth, girls and women, as well as those most
affected by the war and its consequences, including the displaced, disabled and traumatised, have
been specifically targeted by German projects. Whilst tackling those most affected by the war, as a
general rule conflict-analysis does not seem to be mainstreamed structurally in NGOs’ programming.
However, a Working Group on Development and Peace (FriEnt) was founded in 2001 by eight
German governmental and non-governmental organisations - some of whom have been active in
Sierra Leone, i.e. BMZ, GTZ, the Church Development Service (EED), the Catholic Central Agency for
Development Aid (Misereor), and the Civil Peace Service Group (CPS) - with the main objective to
promote peacebuilding in members' development cooperation strategies and activities. 25 EED, for
example, aims ‘to promote peace and overcome violence’, 26 and states that ‘Projects must be
carefully assessed as to whether they can help to build unity and peace or whether they contribute
to more conflict and violence ("Local Capacities for Peace" program).’ 27
Two German-funded programmes implemented by Churches/NGOs are particularly relevant in
relation to education and peacebuilding in Sierra Leone. The first set of NGOs projects include those
which have been funded by the German Foreign Office (AA) through the Zivik programme of the
Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations (ifa). The second is the BMZ-funded Civil Peace Service (CPS),
which aims to support local partner organisations in their peacebuilding efforts.
4.5.1 Zivik/ifa programme
Several projects in Sierra Leone have been funded through the Zivik/ifa programme. Those
implemented mainly in 2005 were evaluated in 2006 through a peacebuilding lens and generally
assessed positively with regard to their peacebuilding relevance and impact. Education appears as a
core component of many of these projects explicitly aimed at directly contributing to peace. These
include:
• A School Peacebuilding Project, which targeted schools considered to be potentially violent by
running a peer mediation programme involving teachers and students, and by setting up a Peer
Mediators Network (PeMNet) among schools, as well as peace clubs and ‘school peacebuilding
committees’ (SPCs). The impact was believed to have been a reduction of violence in the school
environment, as well as a propensity and ability of some peer mediators to resolve conflicts in
the wider community. 28
25 http://www.frient.de/en. As stated on their website, ‘The aim is to address the causes of conflict, support
structural stability, promote state and non-state peace actors through social and political programmes, and
contribute to a sustainable peace in post-conflict societies, e.g. through reconciliation work.’
26 http://www.eed.de/en/en.eed/en.eed.eed/en.eed.eed.basics/index.html.
27 http://www.eed.de/en/en.col/en.col.a/en.sub.02/en.sub.info/en.info.9/index.html. In 1998, a ‘Desk for Peace and
Conflict Management Issues’ was created to facilitate the implementation of this approach. Also, it works with
international networks and specialized organisations such as Collaborative for Development Action (CDA) in
developing and improving approaches, methods and instruments of "conflict sensitive" development work, such as
the Do No Harm approach. http://www.eed.de/en/en.col/en.col.d/en.sub.08/index.html
28 This included trainings in Creative and Constructive Interventions to Conflict (CCIC) and Basic Mediation Skills
(BMS), for which 4 training manuals were developed. The Peer Mediation Training included the following topics:
Conceptual tools of conflict and conflict management; conflict management skills and peer mediation; communication
and active listening skills; non-violent communication; early-warning and conflict prevention and human rights.
39

• School peer mediation programmes in schools, as well as training and workshops in mediation,
conflict resolution and human rights for community members, and sensitisation on issues
related to youth, women and disabled people (implemented by the German Charity organisation
KNSL). The impact of these activities was believed to have been a reduction of school violence,
and the successful resolution of various local conflicts. Overall, trainings were said to be
perceived by communities as a contributing factor to local peace. The CMLC project appears on
the ifa zivik website as one of their 'best practice' examples. The KNSL project reports reveal a
strong commitment to conflict-sensitivity and peacebuilding. Activities concentrated in conflictaffected
communities in Pujehun 29
District which were selected through prior conflict analysis
and needs assessment. Also, the projects were intended to promote positive social change in the
District through a strategy to address issues identified as risks to peace and recovery, including
weak governance, youth marginalisation and injustice (Project report, 2010, p.2).
• The development of a manual and story-telling program, which was part of a nationwide
awareness campaign on the TRC report, aimed at educating the public about its findings and
recommendations. With special emphasis on secondary schools and illiterate community
members, programme activities included: the development, production and distribution of a
teaching manual for secondary schools on the TRC findings (40,000 copies produced), which was
to serve as a history book about the civil war for pupils aged 15-17, from 2006-2007; the
elaboration of poster series on the war related to the manual (found to be available in many
public places, even in remote areas); and the training of ‘story-tellers’, who would initiate
debate on issues raised by the material in the communities. However, enquiries about these
resources during the fieldwork revealed a low level of awareness and usage.
• A Criminal Justice and Civil Society Capacity-building project, which was aimed both at building
civil society capacity in legal issues as well as at promoting public awareness of legal issues, and
in particular to inform/educate about the nature and tasks of the Special Court.
• Training in trauma counselling for local NGOs.
4.5.2 Civil Peace Service
The German Civil Peace Service (CPS) was established in 1999 and sends experts to crisis areas
through its governmental (GIZ) and its non-governmental implementing agencies (Association of
Development Service (AGEH), EIRENE-International Christian Service for Peace, Church Development
Service (EED), and World Community Services (WFD), as well as the two umbrella organisations of
the peace organisations Action Committee Service for Peace (AGDF) and the Civil Peace Service
Forum (forumZFD). Three CPS projects were visitied as part of the fieldwork (see below).
29 The Pujehun district, close to the Liberian border, was severely affected by the war, with a many youth enlisted by
various armed factions. As well as high levels of poverty, disease and resource-related conflict and lack of basic
facilities including schools, there are also widespread feelings of suspicion, mistrust and hatred towards ‘the others’.
Ifa, ‘Evaluation report’ (2006), 32.
40

4.6 AGEH Civil Peace Service (CPS)
AGEH currently has 13 CPS experts deployed in Sierra Leone. Three projects were visited during the
field study. From the field interviews the degree of peacebuilding relevance, as well as perceptions
of the impact of the three AGEH/CPS vary.
4.6.1 Don Bosco
The first is a residential project for street children and young people (age >10) run by the Salesian
organisation Don Bosco Fambul (‘family’ in Krio). As a result of the project, 1,700 beneficiaries have
been provided with shelter, education, and coaching/counselling services (psycho-social education/
trauma healing) with a view to reunifying them with their family. Additionally, the organisation also
runs a programme for girls who had been victims of rape as well as a telephone counselling service
which has been receiving 500 calls a week, mainly asking for advice on relationship issues. Don
Bosco’s work highlights the necessity to address the needs of vulnerable children in a post-war
context characterised by broken families as well as by generalised violence within the society. Every
year children and young people come in large numbers to the centre, which clearly reflects the need
for and the appreciation of this programme. Whilst opinions varied over the extent to which it was
acknowledged in public, the consensus throughout fieldwork was that there remains a lot of
violence within Sierra Leone society. In particular, Don Bosco staff mentioned that domestic
violence, including rape and child abuse, is common and on the increase due to tensions and
frustrations related to poverty, itself partly due to high levels of corruption. One issue that was
repeatedly raised throughout fieldwork was the rise in conflict between parents and youth following
the increased emphasis on the child rights agenda. Local GTZ staff, as well as trainee teachers raised
their concerns and expressed their discomfort at the diminishing power and authority of parents.
Don Bosco are working directly on these issues through an approach which aims to increase childparent
communication. Based on a belief in the need to ‘educate children with love, reason and
religion’ the organisation hopes to work as a ‘role model’ and have a multiplying effect, eventually
making a contribution to peace. It offers a child-centred perspective on how education is serving
children and the dynamics within local families.
4.6.2 ‘To Reach Peace to Teach Peace‘
The second project, ‘To Reach Peace to Teach Peace’, is a peace education programme coordinated
by a CPS/AGEH employee who was seconded to Caritas Sierra Leone though AGEH/ZFD to work at
the Peace Education Department of the Catholic Education Office. The programme works specifically
through Catholic schools, which constitute 1/3 of all schools in Sierra Leone, although they cater for
children of all religious faiths. It was reported in interviews that only 30% of students in such schools
are Catholic. The project aim is to prevent violence and promote peaceful conflict resolution and
reconciliation. A pilot project began in 2006 with 33 schools and a very limited annual budget of
€4,300 funded by the German Embassy (for comparison, a 3-day workshop for 40 teachers cost
€3,500). Currently the programme has two employees and involves 105 primary and junior
secondary schools (age 6-16), with 50 additional schools about to join the programme. Peace
education is not part of the national school curriculum, but this programme has focused on training
school teachers to integrate issues related to peace education in the classroom, through for instance
social studies, religion, and sports. Teaching resources were put together for this purpose, covering
topics such as conflict resolution, protection of girls against sexual abuse, the use of violence, as well
41

as corruption. The issue of the war, however, is not explicitly addressed. In particular, both a human
rights-based approach and a child-centred approach are promoted, the latter aiming to encourage
children to speak out and to actively participate in the classroom. The organisation of peace clubs in
schools is also promoted in this framework. The underlying rationale of the programme is to
influence the attitudes and values of children at at young age. Overall, the programme raises issues
about methods of conflict resolution and questions the use of violence, although there are concerns
in some cases about discipline policies which may contradict some of these lessons. Whilst the
programme is sizeable in Catholic schools (currently in 105 schools), its reach remains limited; only
3% of all Sierra Leonean teachers have gone through the training (3 teachers in each project school).
Staff on the project expressed the desire that the programme could be incorporated into proposals
by the MOE. There is also the potential for the programme to influence the inclusion of human rights
and responsibilities within the new curriculum as part of the ‘Emerging Issues’ being developed by
UNICEF. However, in its current form the programme is unlikely to be taken up by non-Catholic
schools as it does include religious references in the materials and would therefore need to be
adapted.
4.6.3 Peace and Conflict Studies, Fourah Bay College
The third project visited was a Peace and Conflict Studies course at Fourah Bay College. Currently,
three courses are offered: a 1-year certificate, a 2-year diploma, and a 4-year degree. In addition, an
MA programme on human rights is currently being developed (an MA in Peace and Development is
already offered at Njala University). These three courses at Fourah Bay attract 800 students. Whilst
the relevance of such courses in a post-war country may seem obvious, questions did arise about
why so many students in Sierra Leone enrol in such courses. One explanation was that students
perceive there to be employment opportunities in the post-war economy generated by NGOs,
although others suggested that fewer find jobs in this area than one might think. Another
explanation provided during interviews at NCTVA was that such courses provide an entry-point for
higher education or because students think they will lead to work outside Sierra Leone. Whatever
the explanation, it seems unrealistic to expect that the post-conflict economy will be able to sustain
employment for such a high number of graduates from this field.
Overall, these CPS projects make connections at a very practical level within conflict affected
communities. They provide insight into issues that need to be addressed and the strategies that
could be used. However, the main challenge is the extent to which these projects can affect change
within wider society. Don Bosco, for example, has developed a number of effective practices, but
the lack of social workers in the wider community or support structures with which they could work
means that there is little prospect of scaling up the work. Whilst projects proposals do come from
local organisations and may therefore respond well to local needs, it is not clear about the extent to
which projects funded by CPS are selected in terms of their relevance to peacebuilding needs.
42

5. GTZ POSITIONING AND FUNCTIONING
5.1 Perceptions of GTZ by Stakeholders
Field interviews confirmed Schürings’ observation that ‘GTZ has a very good reputation in Sierra
Leone and is known for practical and visible solutions’ and that GTZ, with its EPP, ‘is considered as
leader in PSD and youth employment’ (Schürings 2011, 66 &67).
Key to GTZ’s good reputation in Sierra Leone is an emphasis on quality which is maintained through
a clear focus on providing training on a relatively small scale. This results in programming which is
technically very good and the impact on those who pass the training is high. However, the EPP
graduates interviewed in Koidu (electricians and mechanics) have difficulty securing employment,
although this is acknowledged to be a difficult region. From a peacebuilding perspective, some
interviewees questioned the logic of providing opportunity to a select few in a context where
grievances and youth frustrations are more widespread and have played a large role in conflict.
However, in Sierra Leone this may be out-weighed by the fact that the quality of the training ensures
it is meeting the expectations of the youth who take part. Where this rationale breaks down is in a
region like Koidu where the majority of graduates remain unemployed and, from a peacebuilding
this may fuel frustration amongst youth in area by creating unfulfilled expectations.
Technical and vocational training was clearly perceived to be the focus of GTZ’s work and
interviewees mentioned that it was thanks to GTZ and SIDA that sectors other than basic education
have been given attention. Other donors acknowledged that Germany has a reputation for quality
technical and vocational training and were pleased to see them using that expertise in Sierra Leone.
Other donors interviewed acknowledged that TVET was particularly relevant to peacebuilding in
Sierra Leone, although some questioned whether the GTZ emphasis was because of a peacebuilding
analysis or simply because TVET is a focus for German development cooperation wherever they
work. However, the value of the excellent reputation of GTZ technical and vocational training should
not be understated and there seemed to be genuine appreciation amongst beneficiaries.
The one criticism was that GTZ ‘expected too much from the Sierra Leone government’, although
this may highlight an important difference in approach between donors with regard to capacity
building and raises questions around issues of ownership and control in contexts of limited local
capacity. In this regard, what appeared clear from the field interviews was GTZ’s strong commitment
to local empowerment, ownership and sustainability of its projects/programmes. These, in fact,
were issues that regularly emerged in interviews with GTZ personnel and project beneficiaries and
were considered by GTZ staff to be of crucial importance for the success of any project. Challenges
related to this commitment were highlighted, however, during conversations with local staff in Kono
and Kailahun, and were demonstrated during a visit to a resettlement village. Local GTZ staff
reported a shift in their role as programming moved from a humanitarian to a development phase.
They referred somewhat nostalgically to the humanitarian phase where people where extremely
grateful for the provision of resources, but now found themselves having to explain to beneficiaries
about the need for self-reliance and sustainability. A commitment to local ownership and
sustainability resulted in lengthy negotiations with beneficiaries during which local staff had to
remain realistic and not promise what they could not or were not sure they would be able to offer.
One example, encountered during a site visit to a local village involved negotiations over the
43

provision of tin roofs, during which GTZ staff insisted on the fact that beneficiaries would pay half
the price of each piece of tin sheeting. Whilst local staff found this negotiation challenging, they
maintained that it was of paramount importance for the projects and resulted in more respect for
GTZ from local beneficiaries. Another barrier to ensuring local ownership and sustainability is limited
local capacity. In Kono, for instance, the local councils should have taken over GTZ skills training
centres were said to lack the means to effectively do so. However, a number of interviewees
expressed appreciation of the GTZ dual approach of providing training and also supporting local
work shops which served the purpose of mentoring the EPP students.
With regard to ownership, in general, national partners said they were satisfied with the extent to
which GTZ took account of their opinions. National Council for Technical, Vocational and other
Academic Awards (NCTVA) staff indicated, ‘most of the time they listen to us, but sometimes we
listen to them because they have great international experience from which they draw lessons
learned.’ However, there were reservations about the suggestion of introducing a separate Krio
adult literacy component within EPP. The introduction of a literacy component is necessary as it
recognises the low level of education of many youth and the importance of literacy skills in their
professional life (to sell their services, negotiate terms for doing a job etc.), doubts were expressed
about how rrealistic it would be to improve levels of this local language rather than English, which
has a higher status. A number of interviewees stated that they felt GTZ were introducing this
component because it was a feature of GTZ programmes in other contexts. Whilst those who
expressed doubt cited the many differences they saw between countries, they nevertheless thought
the initiative was worth a pilot. This is indicative of negotiation and ongoing dialogue that is
characteristic of GTZ’s approach. The general view is that GTZ is an organisation constantly learning
as well as willing to adjust its programmes/projects according to evolving local needs as well as
lessons learned ‘by doing’. As just one example, during interviews with GTZ staff in Koidu-Town in
Kono District - an area where there is no government institution offering skills training - the point
was made that GTZ decided to discontinue training for hairdressers following its realisation that the
local market in this trade had already been saturated.
5.2 Positioning of GTZ
GTZ is seen as a leading agency in technical and vocational training in Sierra Leone. However, it is
clear that the structural separation between vocational and academic education in the Sierra
Leonean system impacts on the perception of GTZ and GTZ operations. One interviewee described
them as ‘market leaders in a niche market’. Given the context, GTZ is seen as working in a rather
separate area and less engaged in the formal education system. GTZ participate regularly in donor
coordination meetings, but were perceived as being ‘very active in their own area’. Given the
structural separation between vocational and academic education there may be a need to engage
with the education system since it impacts on the effectiveness of all GTZ education programming.
The fieldwork also suggested that there is relatively little engagement with UN agencies concerning
the role of education and TVET in peacebuilding. This seemed suprising given that UNAMSIL was the
largest UN peacekeeping operation in the world and Sierra Leone was one of the first countries
accepted on to the agenda of the UN Peacebuilding Commission (PBC). The PBC was established by
the UN Secretary-General in 2006 as a means to (1) bring together all of the relevant actors,
including international donors, the international financial institutions, national governments, troop
44

contributing countries; (2) marshal resources and (3) advise on and propose integrated strategies for
post-conflict peacebuilding and recovery and where appropriate, highlight any gaps that threaten to
undermine peace. Sierra Leone was accepted as one of the first countries onto the agenda of the
Peacebuilding Commission in June 2006 and to date the PBF has funded 19 projects in Sierra Leone
amounting to US$34.5 million.
However, in terms of PBF funded projects in Sierra Leone education is not a priority. Of the 19
projects funded, the majority are concerned with democracy and good governance; and security and
justice, with projects linked to the fourth priority youth empowerment and employment making up
just 5% of the portfolio. See chart one below.
Chart 1: PBF Funded Projects by Priority Area in Sierra Leone
In August 2008 the UN Security Council adopted a new approach to peacebuilding by establishing, by
Resolution 1829 (2008), the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone (UNIPSIL)
led by the Secretary-General’s Executive Representative (ERSG), Michael von der Schulenburg.
UNIPSIL is unique among the United Nations’ peacebuilding offices in its strong emphasis on a fully
integrated office, bringing together the various political, humanitarian and development mandates
of the numerous UN agencies and funds. Therefore in Sierra Leone UNIPSIL, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF,
WFP, FAO, WHO, UNHCR, ION, UNAIDS, UNIFEM, UNIDO, AFDB and the World Bank have all joined
together to form the UN Country Team (UNCT) to work towards implementation of the Joint Vision.
This strategy entitled ‘the one and four priorities’ states that the various agencies have agreed to
combine efforts behind one ‘overall priority of furthering the consolidation of peace’ and includes
‘four programmatic priorities: the economic integration of rural areas, the economic and social
integration of the youth, an equitable access to health services and an accessible and credible public
service’ (UNIPSIL 2001: 1). The Joint Vision is delivered through 21 programmes implemented by UN
agencies and government ministries. There is no education specific programme included (see
Appendix for a full list of UN Joint Vision programmes).
45
Democracy and Good
Governance
Justice and Security
Youth Empowerment and
Employment
Increased Energy
Public Administration

Field interviews highlighted of a lack of communication between education actors and the UN
system suggesting, ‘they don’t speak the same language’. This difference in language and approach
is very clear when comparing the two key guiding documents: the UN Joint Vision and the Education
Sector Plan. The UN Joint Vision opens with the overall priority, ‘to work together with the
Government and other national and international stakeholders to consolidate the peace and stability
that has been achieved’. Any links to education in the document are clearly written from a
peacebuilding perspective. The Education Sector Plan, on the other hand, is clearly written from a
rights-based perspective. It opens with the Mission of MEST, ’to provide basic education of quality
for all in a phased manner, starting with the realisation of the right of all children to quality primary
education’. Although differences in perspective are to be expected, field interviews suggest the
humanitarian/development gap in funding and programming continues to frame individual and
organisational thinking. Interview data includes quotes such as, ‘we’ve moved on from peace’.
Another respondent stated, ‘it is taboo to talk about peace in education donor meetings. It is all
about rights now and how much it will cost to achieve EFA’. However, whilst there appears to be
little interaction between those working for the UN peacebuilding agenda and educationalists, GTZ
does have a strong commitment to conflict-sensitive design and Peace and Conflict Assessments
(PCA) across GDC programming and, in particular, GTZ’s EPP programme is very well-aligned with
peacebuilding needs. GTZ have appointed a Conflict and Security advisor who has carried out a
‘Peacebuilding Relevance Assessment of German Development Cooperation in Sierra Leone’ in
relation to peacebuilding priorities identified by the PBC (Hakobyan 2009). The office also has good
links with the ESRG who is a German citizen and had a formative influence on the UN Joint Vision.
46

6. CONCLUSIONS
A case study of German Development Cooperation in Sierra Leone as a means of understanding the
role of education in countries affected by conflict is distinctive for a number of reasons. The main
contribution is not through the formal education system, but through the GTZ Employment
Promotion Programme (EPP). This does mean that there is a distinct niche which is well-aligned with
the peacebuilding goals that have been identified for Sierra Leone. GTZ is playing an important role
in providing technical and vocational training in Sierra Leone. Youth education and employment has
been identified as a key priority in all conflict assessments and plans; GTZ’s EPP programme is
therefore extremely well aligned to local peacebuilding needs. The technical and vocational training
is also widely acknowledged to be of a very high quality and assessments have found that the
programmes have a high impact on people’s lives (see Schürings 2011). Fieldwork interviews also
suggest that GTZ is recognised for its emphasis on local ownership and sustainability of its projects.
The case study also suggests that there has been a process of adaptation in response to the changing
post-conflict environment, whereby earlier emphasis on humanitarian response and support for
post-conflict demobilisation has gradually transformed into a single programme focused on the
development of skills and employment.
The case study also looked at German funding which is assisting a number of projects through the
AGEH/CPS programme. Three project sites were visited. A Don Bosco project working with street
children; ’To Reach Peace, To Teach Peace‘, a peace education project working in Catholic schools;
and a university programme for Peace and Conflict studies. These are much smaller investments and
rather eclectic in focus, but make more explicit reference to peacebuilding. They may also provide
insight into community level issues that need to be addressed and the strategies that could be used.
From a peacebuilding perspective there are a number of questions that arise from the case study of
Sierra Leone in relation to both the GTZ and other German funded programmes:
6.1 The focus on TVET is well-aligned to peace building priorities in Sierra Leone and there has
been a commitment to conflict analysis through the appointment of a conflict advisor and the
requirement that conflict assessments be undertaken for GTZ programmes. However, it is not
clear whether the priority to TVET was as a result of a context analysis of peacebuilding needs
in Sierra Leone or whether this is a post hoc rationale for an area of programming which is
present in many countries where there is German development cooperation.
6.2 Some of the challenges arising from the EPP in Sierra Leone are common to TVET programmes
in general. For example, there are questions about matching supply with demand – whether
the right skills are being developed and how these match the economic opportunities for
employment within the economy. In Sierra Leone, GTZ are working mainly on the supply side
and KfW are mainly tasked with stimulating the economy. However, from a peacebuilding
perspective if these do not result in increased employment and livelihoods for youth, then
there is a possibility that unmet expectations will simply have been deferred – at worst youth
disaffection may be reinforced in a way that could fuel any relapse into violence. This may be
particularly important in urban areas where there is now a high concentration of youth due to
displacement during the war, although it is also the case that the war affected rural areas are
those where it is very difficult to stimulate the economy.
47

6.3 Whilst GTZ has developed a recognised reputation for the provision of TVET, to some extent
this means there is the potential for its programmes to develop in isolation. This was raised in
a number of ways during the field study. Firstly, there is a structural issue about the separate
development of formal education and TVET – this is reflected in budget lines and
organisational responsibilities within the Ministry, in separate curricula and in different
systems for accreditation and qualifications. Secondly, the success of TVET is to a large extent
dependent on the quality of outcomes from the formal education system – otherwise TVET
becomes perceived as lower status or an alternative route for those who have not succeeded
through formal education. This is a systemic issue, but has implications for GTZ in terms of the
extent to which it supports the development of TVET in isolation from formal education.
6.4 There may also be a danger in perceiving TVET solely in terms of the provision of technical
skills. GTZ is aware of this and there is a concern to include literacy and numeracy skills which
are also of importance in terms of potential employment. However, as Hakobyan highlighted
in her peacebuilding assessment of EPP, the analysis of the role of youth in the conflict in
Sierra Leone was not simply about youth unemployment. Other factors such as lack of voice,
frustrations with customary power relations and lack of political engagement were also
identified as factors that will not be addressed simply by the creation of employment skills and
opportunities. This is a more challenging proposition and suggests that the peacebuilding
analysis should include the possibility of strategies to develop forms of youth engagement
that raise awareness about the political economy environment in which job opportunities are
being developed.
6.5 One of the most encouraging aspects of the EPP programme was a holistic approach that
combines youth resettlement with a training component observed as part of the field study in
Giehun. The approach includes different components that accomplish a number of goals
simultaneously. For example, there are mechanisms to identify youth in the urban areas of
Freetown who were displaced because of the war. Counselling and support is available for
those who want to return to their villages in the war-affected rural areas. Contact is made
with village leaders to negotiate their return bearing in mind that those who left the villages
may be regarded with some suspicion. Skills training is provided in advance of the return in
areas relevant for the village, particularly in agriculture so that returnees can contribute to
food security. Resettlement packages are provided and follow up support is provided through
the project staff based in the local GTZ offices. There are some instances of resentment from
those who returned to the villages without such support, but overall the programme appears
to have very positive outcomes.
6.6 Another positive feature of the Employment Promotion Programme is the extent to which it
has successfully evolved from humanitarian relief to a development phase which takes
questions of ownership and sustainability seriously. Again, this was observed in the
interactions of GTZ field staff with programme beneficiaries where questions were addressed
about the need to develop self-reliance and avoid dependency. This was not always a popular
approach with beneficiaries, but from a peacebuilding perspective it demonstrates a desire
that the results of projects are locally owned in the long term.
48

6.7 The German funded programmes through AGEH and the Civil Peace Service (CPS) are much
smaller investments, often through church-based groups. Some have an explicit relevance for
peacebuilding and most operate at the community level. Three projects were visited during
the field study.
• The Don Bosco project works with street children, providing shelter, an opportunity for
education and in some cases the possibility of being reunited with family. The project
provides an insight into the adverse family conditions that many children experience and
raises more important questions about the role of family support and protection from
domestic violence if children are to benefit from education.
• ’To Reach Peace, To Teach Peace‘, is a peace education project working in Catholic schools
which raises important issues around the use of violence and conflict resolution. Whilst
there is potential for the programme to influence the inclusion of human rights and
responsibilities within the new curriculum, it is unlikely to do so in its current form as the
materials include religious references and would need to be adapted. However, it has
established a practice base within 105 schools and could provide a basis for wider
development within the school system.
• The Peace and Conflict Studies programme at Fourah Bay College attracts 800 students
and CPS supports the employment of a member of staff who teaches on the programme.
The popularity of the programme raises questions about student perceptions of the
‘peace economy’ in post-conflict Sierra Leone, since it is unlikely that NGOs alone would
be able to provide employment for such numbers. However, it is also likely that the
courses provide an additional route to higher education for many students.
Each project is valuable in its own right. However, the main challenge is the extent to which it
is possible to scale up the projects or affect change in wider society. It is also not clear what
the rationale is for the selection of particular projects, although it is clear that a number of
CPS initiatives have a relevance to peacebuilding.
6.8 One area for further development identified by the study relates to coordination with other
donors and the UN system. Sierra Leone was one of the first countries accepted on to the
agenda of the UN Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) and the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) has
provided US$34.5 million for 19 projects in Sierra Leone. However, projects linked to the
fourth PBF priority of youth empowerment and employment make up just 5% of the portfolio.
This suggests that there may be some merit in exploring opportunities for closer working
relations with these UN agencies.
Finally, the experience of GTZ in supporting skills and employment programmes as part of postconflict
development in Sierra Leone provides a number of lessons that will be of relevance to the
next EFA Global Monitoring Report (2012) and the lessons learned from the Employment Promotion
Programme (EPP) could provide the basis for a helpful case study.
49

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Geneva: International Bureau of Education.
51

Appendix 1: German Funded Programmes in Sierra Leone
GTZ
Sierra Leone: rebuilding rural
infrastructure/ ReAct
(Reconciliation,
Reintegration and
Rehabilitation Activities
(KfW and GTZ/GTZ IS)
Support for the National
Demobilisation Programme
(funded by KfW and other
donors, e.g. WB and DFID)
Protracted Relief and
Recovery Operation (PRRO)
/Food Assistance to Refugee
and Returnee-Affected Areas
of Sierra Leone
2001-2004
2007-2010 (also funded by CIDA, EC, Japan, Spain,
Switzerland, Irish Aid, UNDP, UNICEF, WFP); implemented
by WFP
52
Kenema,
Kailahun, Kono
(East); Bo,
Bonthe, Pujeh
un (South)
Basic Education Project 2004-2006 Koidu,
Kailahun,
Freetown
(Waterloo)
Food Security and
Reconciliation Project (FSR)
Employment Promotion
Programme (EPP)
Youth Resettlement
Programme (YRP)
2004-2008 (in 2007–2008, FSR undertook a pilot project to
resettle and reintegrate disenfranchised youth in the
country. This led to a five-year (2009-2013) GTZ Youth
Resettlement and Reintegration Project)
2006-2010
2010-2013
2009-2013
Kono, Kailahun
(East)
Country-wide;
Freetown,
Western Rural
(West),
Pujehun
(South),
Kailahun
(East),
Koinadugu
(North)

Promotion of the
Development Capacity of
Youths/ Non Formal
Education (NFE) (GTZ/GOPA)
Support to the Anti-
Corruption Commission/
Fighting Corruption in the
education sector
Support to the Special Court
of Sierra Leone
Police Promotion
Programme
Promotion of Justice in West
Africa (PJWA)
KfW
Microfinance Sector
Programme
Pro-Poor Growth for Peace
Consolidation Programme
(GPC)
HIV/Aids Prevention
Programme (HAPP)
2007–2011 (extended as integral part of EPP- Phase II) Freetown,
Western Rural
(West),
Pujehun
(South),
Kailahun
(East),
Koinadugu
(North)
2005-2011? Country-wide
2002-2006 (AA)
2006-2011 (BMZ)
53
Country-wide
2007-2011 (AA) Country-wide
2009-2011 (AA)
2004-2010? (KfW, UNCDF and UNDP)
2006-2010
Joint pooling agreement by KfW (€ 4 million) and the
Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria
GFATM; Implemented by CARE
Association for Development Cooperation (AGEH) - Civil Peace Service
Country-wide
Country-wide
Main focus Partner Organisation Period Duty station
Psychosocial work, capacity
building
Peace education National Catholic Development
and Caritas Office (NCDCO)
Christian Brothers Projects 2003 - 2009 Freetown
2004 - 2011 Freetown

Gender and peace building Archdiocesan Development
Office (ADDO) – Caritas
Freetown and Bo
Organisational development
and peace building
Trauma healing and psycho
education
Capacity building and peace
education
Peace building, Human rights
and Mediation
Capacity building areas:
conflict management and
transformation, trauma
coping, social work,
mediation; work with street
children
Coordination of CPS
Program, Lecturer in the
Dep. for Peace and Conflict
Studies in the area of
psychosocial studies
Adviser for further
development of peace
building and Human Rights
programmes and as a trainer
for community peace
building and human rights
projects
Assistant Lecturer and
Research person in the Dep.
For Peace and Conflict
Studies
Lecturer and Research
Person in the faculty for
social science
Archdiocesan Development
Office (ADDO) – Caritas
Freetown and Bo
Missionary Sisters of the Holy
Rosary (HRS)
54
2004 - 2007 Bo
2004 - 2007 Bo
2008 - 2011 Bo
Christian Brothers Projects 2008 - 2011 Freetown
Justice and Peace Commission,
Caritas Freetown and Bo
2009 - 2012
Freetown
Don Bosco Fambul 2009 - 2012 Freetown
University of Sierra Leone, Dep.
Peace and Conflict Studies
2009 - 2012 Freetown
Green Scenery 2010 - 2013 Freetown
University of Sierra Leone, Dep.
Peace and Conflict Studies
University of Makeni, Fatima
College
2010 - 2012 Freetown
2011 - 2013 Makeni

German NGOs/ Churches funded through donations
The Church Development
Service (EED)
Employment promotion
project
Literacy as a survival strategy
in post-war Sierra Leone
project
Brot fuer die Welt
Education for children in
working conditions
Study and planning for
vocational education in faithbased
secondary schools
Training in Conflict
Transformation
Democracy promotion and
election monitoring in the
local elections
Initiatives to secure peace in
post-war Sierra Leone
Vocational training for
former child soldiers
Vocational training for
disadvantaged youth in
Makali
Vocational training and
integrated development
initiatives for disadvantaged
young people in
communities
Food security, health care
and social development for
Sierra Leone Opportunities
Industrialization Centre (SLOIC)
SL Adult Education Association
(SLADEA)
55
Bo and Mattru Jong
(Southern), Makeni
(Northern), Freetown
SIGA 2006-2011 Freetown
CCSL
CCSL
CCSL
CCSL
1997-2001 Freetown
2000-2001 Freetown
2008 Freetown
2009-2011 Freetown
MADAM 2001-2002 Makeni
MADAM 2002-2004 Makeni
MADAM 2005-2006 Makeni
MADAM 2007-2008 Makeni

communities in the Tonkolili
district
Promotion of education and
community development in
the Tonkolili district
Training and advisory
programs for farmer groups
Blacksmith training for the
Disabled
Vocational training for
disabled young women
Vocational Training and
Reintegration for 400 people
injured/disabled by the war
Qualification in trauma work
of churches and church
health facilities
Capacity building through
awareness raising,
strengthening and
development of local
structures
dvv international
Support to adult education in
Sierra Leone
Welthungerhilfe
Caritas International
(partly funded by BMZ)
Social Integration and
Education for marginalised
girls and young women
MADAM 2009-2011 Makeni
ARD 2000-2001 Freetown
OHDRAD 2000 Freetown
OHDRAD 2001-2002 Freetown
CAUSE 2000-2001 Freetown
CHASL 2001-2008 Freetown
NMJD 2005-2006 Freetown
SL Adult Education Association
(SLADEA)
56
Until 2007
2004-ongoing Kenema, Bo,
Kailahun and
Kono (East)
Holy Rosary Sisters Bo
(Freetown?)

Kindernetzwerk Sierra Leone
(KNSL)
School sponsorship
programme
Adult Literacy Programme
for Women
Stimulating and
Strengthening Agricultural
Production and Productivity
in Pujehun District in the
Context of Poverty
Eradication -funded by UNDP
German Committee for
UNICEF
Projects for war- affected
children
Projects funded by AA
through IFA/ Zivik
programme
Criminal Justice and Civil
Society Capacity-building
Project
Training for trauma
counselling
Development of manual and
story telling program
Promoting social cohesion in
Pujehun District for post war
recovery through peace
building
Consolidation of Peace and
Stability in Pujehun District
through the Establishment of
an integrated Community
Mediation and Learning
Center (CMLC)
Teiwoh Development
Association (TDA)
Pujehun Youths for
Development (PYD)
Sierra Leone Court Monitoring
Project (SLCMP); ICTJ
Truth and Reconciliation
Working Group (TRWG) and
Graceland Counselling Service;
Medico international
57
2003-ongoing
2007
2002
Pujehun
(South)
2005 Country-wide
2005 Country-wide
TRWG; Medico international 2005 Country-wide
Kindernetzwerk Sierra Leone
(KNSL); Pujehun Youths for
Development (PYD)
Kindernetzwerk Sierra Leone
(KNSL); Pujehun Youths for
Development (PYD)
(90% funded by ifa; funding also
recently granted by BMZ)
2005-2006 Pujehun
(South)
2009 Pujehun
(South)

Appendix 2: Joint Vision Programmes in Sierra Leone
Project Lead Agency Joint Vision Priority
Areas
Budget (US$)
Democratic Elections &
Political Dialogue
UNDP Peace 21,000,000
Access to Justice & UNDP Peace
11,000,000
Human Rights
Public Services
Finance for Development UNDP Peace, Rural
Public Services
7,000,000
National Agricultural FAO & WFP Peace, Rural
50,000,000
Response Programme
Youth
Rural Industrial Growth & UNIDO Peace
7,000,000
Renewable Energy
Rural
HIV/AIDS & Malaria
Programme
UNAIDS & WHO Health 14,000,000
Reproductive & Child UNICEF Peace
68,000,000
Health & Nutrition
Programme
Health
School Feeding
WFP Rural
43,000,000
Programme
Health
Child Protection UNICEF Peace, Rural
Health
4,000,000
Reparations to War IOM Peace, Rural
11,000,000
Victims
Youth, Health
Public Sector Reform UNDP Peace
Public Services
19,000,000
Data Collection,
UNFPA Rural
8,000,000
Assessments & Planning
Health
Mitigating External UNODC & UNOPS Peace
12,000,000
Threats to Security
Public Services
Security Sector Reforms UNOPS Peace
Public Services
9,000,000
Support to Democratic
Institutions
UNDP Peace 10,000,000
Local Governance &
Decentralisation
UNDP Peace, Rural 7,000,000
Promoting Gender UNIFEM Peace, Rural
7,000,000
Equality & Women’s
Rights
Youth, Health
Rural Community UNDP & FAO Peace, Rural
10,000,000
Empowerment
Youth
Youth Development & ILO & UNDP Peace, Rural
13,000,000
Employment
Youth
National Health System WHO Health
Public Services
9,000,000
Environmental
UNEP Peace, Rural
5,000,000
Cooperation for
Peacebuilding
Youth
58

Appendix 3: PBF Programmes in Sierra Leone
Project Recipient Implementing Approved Approved
Partner
Budget ($)
Democracy and Good Governance Total : 7,440,401
Support to National Elections
UNDP National Elections 11 July 1,598,727
Commission Polling Staff
Commission
2007
Support to Capacity Building and UNDP Office of the
15 July 349,034
Programmes of the National Anti-
President Anti- 2008
Corruption
Corruption
Strategy Secretariat
Commission
Supporting Gender Capacity, Women’s UNICEF/ Ministry of Social 15 July 802,640
Rights Protection and Child Protection in UNIFEM Welfare Gender and 2008
Recovery and Peacebuilding
Children’s Affairs
Support to the Implementation of the IOM National Commission 15 July 3,000,000
Reparations Programme as part of the
Recommendations of the Truth and
Reconciliation Commission
for Social Action 2008
Capacity Building for Sierra Leone IOM Sierra Leone
3 June 700,000
Parliament
Parliament
2009
Support to Attitudinal and Behavioural IOM Ministry of
3 June 140,000
Change
Information and
Communication
2009
Development of an Independent UNDP Ministry of
3 June 850,000
National Public Broadcasting Service
Information and
Communication
2009
Justice and Security Total: 13,620,394
Improved Public Order Management UNDP Sierra Leone Police 11 May 1,042,565
Capacity
2007
Capacity Development of Human Rights UNDP Human Rights 22 June 1,522,056
Commission for Sierra Leone (HRCSL)
Commission
for Sierra Leone
2007
Emergency Support to the Security UNDP Ministry of Finance 11 July 1,822,824
Sector
2007
Capacity Development to the Justice UNDP Office of the Chief 11 July 3,959,773
System to Prevent delays in trials and to
clear backlog of cases
Justice
2007
Rehabilitation of the Water and
UNDP Ministry of Defence 11 July 1,955,706
Sanitation
Facilities for the Republic of Sierra Leone
Armed Forces (RSLAF) barracks in
Freetown
2007
Support to the Office of National UNDP Office of National 15 July 1,576,538
Security
Security
2008
Contribution to Improved Reformation, IOM Sierra Leone Prisons 15 July 1,610,933
Justice and Security for Prison Inmates
Department
2008
Promoting Regional Cooperation in IOM Ministry of Internal 3 June 130,000
Makona River Union
Affairs
2009
Youth Empowerment and Employment Total: 4,080,907
Youth Enterprise Development UNDP Ministry of Youth and 11 May 4,080,907
Sports
2007
Support to Increased Energy Total: 9,00,000
Emergency Support to the Energy Sector UNDP Ministry of Energy 15 July 9,000,000
and National Power
Authority
2008
59

Capacity Building of Public Administration Total: 488,125
Support to Government’s Capacity for UNDP Ministry of Finance 15 July 348,125
Engagement on Peacebuilding Issues
and Economic
Development
2008
Strengthening the capacity of civil IOM CSPEC 3 June 140,000
society
2009
60