The Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Dr. Haja Ramatulai Wurie, on Monday, 16 February 2026, undertook a series of engagements aimed at strengthening international academic cooperation and advancing technical skills development in Sierra Leone.
One of her key engagements was serving as Chief Guest at the Study in India Education Fair 2026. The initiative seeks to expand overseas study opportunities for Sierra Leonean students while strengthening educational ties between Sierra Leone and India.
In her remarks, Dr. Wurie underscored the importance of such platforms in exposing young people to diverse academic programmes, scholarship opportunities, and career pathways aligned with the demands of an evolving global economy. She emphasized that international academic partnerships play a crucial role in broadening students’ perspectives and enhancing national human capital development.
Dr. Wurie also joined the Minister of Youth Affairs and the Deputy Minister of Defence at the graduation ceremony of the Armed Forces Technical and Education College (AFTEC), where more than 300 trainees successfully completed various vocational programmes.
Notably, the majority of the graduates were women trained in solar installation, welding, construction, and auto mechanics fields traditionally dominated by men. The Minister described the strong female participation as both inspiring and progressive, highlighting it as a positive step toward gender inclusion in technical professions.
Graduates received sector-specific start-up kits to support their transition into the workforce, and several have already secured employment. This outcome reflects strengthening collaboration between the public and private sectors in promoting youth skills development and job creation.
Dr. Wurie commended AFTEC and its partners, including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Sierra Leone, Africell Group, Women in Energy, and the National Youth Commission, for investing in practical training programmes that promote productivity, entrepreneurship, and gender empowerment.
The Minister concluded that the week’s engagements demonstrate the critical role of both international academic exposure and local technical training in driving national growth and socio-economic transformation.
She reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to expanding access to quality higher education and strengthening technical and vocational education as key pillars of Sierra Leone’s development agenda.