By: James Kamara-Manneh
The government of the People’s Republic of China through its Embassy in Sierra Leone has continued to strengthen the bilateral relationship with Sierra Leone through the educational sector.
At a well-attended Farewell Reception for the Awardees of Chinese Scholarship Year ceremony held yesterday 24th August 2023 at the Bintumani Hotel, 155 Sierra Leonean applicants have been successfully admitted by Chinese universities and colleges with full scholarships.
Out of the 155 awardees, 28 of them are Chinese Government Scholarship (CGS) recipients, 127 students have won the degree program scholarship of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.
Speaking to the awardees, the Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Amb Wang Qing ranks such award as the second most in African continent with such huge number. He praised the President Bio’s Free Quality Education initiative as the reason for the high quality students.
Amb. Qing added that both China and Sierra Leone attach great importance to education, and that the Chinese adage says that “It takes ten years to nurture a tree, but a hundred years to train a man”. It means that investment in education is a long-term business and a good education program takes a long time to develop but it will bring wide-reaching and profound benefits forever, he explained.
He said China had consistently made education as one of the foundational and strategic pillars for building a modern socialist country in all respects.
“We fully implemented the strategy for invigorating China through science and education and built the world’s largest education system.”
The ambassador said since arrival he has been impressed by the conscientiousness and investment by Sierra Leone Government on education.
“H.E. President Julius Maada Bio made the Free Quality Education the flagship programme of the New Direction Agenda…. during the last 5 years Sierra Leone spent 22% of government budget on education which paid school and exam fees, learning materials, school meals, buses etc, passed the basic and senior secondary education Act 2023, expanded the enrollment rate significantly-a 37% jump, increased the pass rate in public exams to over 77%.”
Since the establishment of diplomatic ties between both countries, China-Sierra Leone friendly cooperation has resulted in fruitful achievements in all fields. Education and human capacity building are the most important fields among these.
In the past two decades, the Chinese government has provided scholarships to over 1200 Sierra Leonean students. The Chinese government has invited more than 5100 Sierra Leonean friends from all walks of life to China for short-term training courses or exchanges, while over 350 Sierra Leoneans have already been invited to China for training programs and seminars this year, the Ambassador narrates.
He called on all awardees to serve as goodwill Ambassadors for Sierra Leone and to carry on the China-Sierra Leone traditional friendship, and cultural ambassadors to promote bilateral cultural exchanges, image ambassadors to positively portray Sierra Leone in China and as well as developmental ambassadors to contribute to Sierra Leone’s social and economic development with the knowledge and skill to be learned in China.
He expressed confident that the new students will be able to take up heavier responsibility and strong enough to meet the new challenges.
Speaking from the side of government, the Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Hon. Dr. Haja Ramatulai Wurie reiterated the 52 years bilateral relationship that both countries share and those enormous technical benefits the Sierra Leone government is enjoying. She said China have been more diplomatic in their conducts and have never interfere with our domestic politics.
In 2014, China was among the first countries to send medical supports during the outbreak of Ebola, and that’s a demonstration of true friendship. The Minister further that both President Bio and President XI of China have held talks on how to strengthen the bilateral ties and that they have reached a consensus agreement on building more areas of developments.
The Minister applauded that Chinese government in helping young and visionary Sierra Leoneans with Scholarship to study in various technical field such as doctors, engineering, sports etc. whereas, she called on the new students to studious, represent their counties and be law abiding.
Representing the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb Victoria Sulimani welcomes the idea of sending young Sierra Leonean professionals to improve on various academic areas for the future of Sierra Leone. Madam Sulimani cautions the awardees to respect the culture and practices of the People’s Republic of China and to serve as goodwill ambassadors. She also urged them to make good use of the opportunity as the nation relies on their intelligence to form change in national development.
The ceremony was climaxed with the issuing of the scholarship awards and vote of thanks.
