By: Mohamed Sahr mohamedsahrpro@gmail.com
Ministry of Higher and Technical Education has commended the People’s Republic of China through the Chinese Embassy in Sierra Leone for its support in providing scholarship opportunity to thirty (30) Sierra Leone to study in China during the 2023 Chinese Ambassador Scholarship Awarding Ceremony on Thursday 7th December 2023 in Freetown.
Dr. Ramatulai Wurie, Minister of Higher and Technical Education said it is truly an honor for the country to be part of such amazing bilateral relationship with China as they continue to offer shinning opportunity to Sierra Leonean students in pursuit of education. She extended her appreciation to His Excellency Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China and Ambassador Wang Qing, Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone.
“I bring good wishes from myself and Ministry of Technical and Higher Education to Your Excellency Wang Qing Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the Republic of Sierra Leone,” Dr. Wurie said.
She added that reflecting on the events of September 6th, 2022, when the former Ambassador H.E HU Zhangliang and Professor Alpha Tejan Wurie participated in the 2022 Chinese Ambassador Awarding Ceremony and a “Talk with Taikonauts Event” at the Bintumani Hotel in Freetown, which brought about fanfare of joy to the country; noting that the presentation of the Ambassador’s Scholarships to 20 university students and 108 primary and secondary school pupils.
She furthered that to date, over 135 students have benefitted from this scholarship program.
Dr. Wurie revealed that this year marks the 52nd anniversary of diplomatic relations between our two nations, and the collaboration in educational development and human capacity building has proven significant, rewarding, and mutually beneficial.
“Over the past two decades, the Chinese Government has sponsored more than 1100 Sierra Leonean students to study in China under various scholarship programs,” she mentioned.
Dr. Wurie stated that the Chinese Government has extended invitations to over 5100 Sierra Leonean individuals from diverse backgrounds for short-term training courses or exchanges.
She said in the current academic year (2023/2024), 155 Sierra Leonean students have been admitted to Chinese universities under the Chinese Government Scholarship and MOFCOM programs. “I am pleased to inform you that the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education has received the 2024/2025 Chinese Government Scholarship, and the advertisement for the same will be made known to the general public early next week,” Dr. Wurie said.
She mentioned that the country has witnessed another Chinese Ambassador Scholarship awarding ceremony with 30 deserving awardees from higher education institutions.
Madam Wurie thanked the People’s Republic of China and the Chinese Embassy in Sierra Leone for their unwavering support towards human capital development in Sierra Leone, which is a key development agenda for the under the President Bio-led administration.