By: Saidu Jalloh
UNICEF and development partners on September 15, 2026 launched the Early Childhood Development Network in Sierra Leone at the Country Lodge Hotel in Freetown, marking a renewed commitment to placing children at the centre of the country’s development.
Speaking at the launch, Ms. Kagoshima noted that quality, play-based pre-primary education is an essential component of early childhood development, helping children build confidence curiosity, social skill and the foundation needed for school and later life.
She said Sierra Leone had already taken important steps through its National Integrated Early Childhood Development Policy ad its alignment with the global Nurturing Care Framework, which provide which provide a foundation for integrated services from births through the early years.
According to Ms. Kagoshima, the newly established Network will provide a platform for stakeholders to share experiences, address challenges and strengthen coordination for young children across homes, communities, health facilities and early learning centres.
She acknowledged the support of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and the Government of Iceland, saying their partnership is helping to expand early learning opportunities for children and families across Sierra Leone.
She said the support had contributed to the training of nearly 4,500 pre-primary teachers, reached more than 8,000 children through early childhood education programmes and supported construction of 68 ECD centres across the country.
Ms. Kagoshima stressed that the collective priority should be to ensure that every child, particularly vulnerable children and those in underserved communities, receives age-appropriate support, from nurturing care and early stimulation during the first years of life to quality early learning and pre-primary education before primary school.
First Lady Fatima Bio said the initiative demonstrates a national commitment to ensuring that every child in Sierra Leone has the opportunity to reach their full potential.
She said investing in children contributes to peace, health, education and national prosperity, while calling on government, civil society, development partners, traditional leaders and parents to work together to create an environment where children are nurtured, protected and supported from birth.
UN Resident Coordinator in Sierra Leone, Ms. Saraphine Wakana, also recognized UNICEF Sierra Leone for its longstanding leadership and partnership with government in strengthen systems and services that support children, particularly during the most critical years of their development.
Ms. Wakana said early childhood development should not be viewed solely as a social-sector, but as an investment in Sierra Leone’s human capital and economic future.
“Early childhood development is not a merely a social sector issue; it is a human capital imperative, an economic imperative. The experiences children in their early years shape their health, learning, wellbeing and opportunities throughout life,” Ms. Wakana said.
Delivering the keynote address, Deputy Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Mrs. Emily Gogra, said the launch was not only a celebration but also a renewal of the commitment made to children since 2018 by President Julius Maada Bio, whom she described as a champion of foundational learning.
Mrs. Gogra expressed appreciation to the Global Partnership for Education, the African Early Childhood Network and UNICEF for their support in advancing early childhood development in Sierra Leone.
She stressed that ECD was too important to be left to a single ministry, organization or sector.
“It requires the full collaboration of all sectors,” she said.
The launch highlights Sierra Leone’s continued efforts to implement the National Integrated Early Childhood Development Policy and align it with the global Nurturing Care Framework.
The initiative seeks to strengthen coordination and bridge essential services for children from birth through early learning and school readiness.