Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698079128702.pdf (Sierra Leone)
OAU DRIVE, TOWER HILL, FREETOWN P A R L I A M E N T A R Y D E B A T E S ____ [HANSARD] ______________ OFFICIAL HANSARD REPORT THIRD SESSION –SECOND MEETING TUESDAY, 27TH OCTOBER, 2020 SESSION – 2020/2021 OAU DRIVE, TOWER HILL, FREETOWN P A R L I A M E N T A R Y D E B A T E S ____ [HANSARD] ______________ OFFICIAL HANSARD REPORT VOLUME: I NUMBER: 3 Second Meeting of the Third Session of the Fifth Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone.
Proceedings of the Sitting of the House Held Tuesday, 27th October, 2020 2 CONTENTS I. PRAYERS II.

RECORD OF VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS FOR THE PARLIAMENTARY SITTING HELD ON TUESDAY 20TH OCTOBER, 2020 III.
LAYING OF PAPERS ALHAJI KANJA SESAY [THE MINISTER OF ENERGY] UTILITY GRID INFRASTRUCTURE AND ELECTRICITY SUPPLY AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE REPRESENTED BY THE ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION AND SUPPLY AUTHORITY AND MINISTRY OF ENERGY AND THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND KARADENIZ POWERSHIP KAYA BEY COMPANY LIMITED, SIERRA LEONE, DATED 30TH JUNE 2020.

IV.
GOVERNMENT MOTION DR PATRICIA N. LAVERLEY [THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FINANCE] BE IT RESOLVED: THAT THIS HONOURABLE HOUSE HEREBY RATIFIES THE FOLLOWING AGREEMENTS WHICH WERE LAID ON THE TABLE OF THE HOUSE ON TUESDAY, 20TH OCTOBER, 2020: [i] LOAN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE AND THE OPEC FUND FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT [OFID], DATED 19TH OCTOBER, 2019 [ii] LOAN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE AND THE ARAB BANK FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA [BADEA], DATED 17TH NOVEMBER, 2020 3 THE CHAMBER OF PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE Official Hansard Report of the Proceedings of the House _____________________________________________________________ THIRD SESSION - SECOND MEETING OF THE FIFTH PARLIAMENT OF THE SECOND REPUBLIC _____________________________ Tuesday, 27th October, 2020.
I. PRAYERS [The Table Clerk, Mrs Bintu Weston, Read the Prayers] [The House met at 10:10a.m.

in Parliament Building, Tower Hill, Freetown] [The Speaker, Hon.

Dr Chernor Abass Bundu in the Chair] The House was called to Order 4 COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIR CORRECTION OF II.
PARLIAMENTARY SITTING HELD ON TUESDAY, 20TH OCTOBER, 2020 PROCEEDINGS VOTES AND FOR THE THE SPEAKER: Honourable Members, we shall now consider the Record of Votes and Proceedings of the 14th sitting held on Tuesday, the 20th of October, 2020.

In consonance with our practice, we shall skip pages 1 through to 4 and start consideration of the record from page 5.

Page 5, any amendments?

Page 6?

Page 7?

Page 8?

Page 9?

Page 10?

Page 11?

Page 12?

Page 13?

Page 14?


Can someone please move for the adoption of the Record of Votes and Proceedings for the Parliamentary sitting held on Tuesday 20th October, 2020.

HON.

JOSEPH WILLIAMS-LAMIN: I so move Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: Any seconder?

HON.

ISHMAIL S. SANDY: I so second Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: Thank you.

[Record of Votes and Proceedings for the Parliamentary Sitting held on Tuesday, 20th October, 2020 has been adopted as presented] III.
LAYING OF PAPERS [A] THE MINISTER OF ENERGY THE SPEAKER: Order!

Let us allow the Honourable Minister.

Mr Minister, you have the Floor.
ALHAJI KANJA SESAY [Minister of Energy]: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, with your leave, I beg to lay on the Table of this Honourable House the following papers: “UTILITY GRID INFRASTRUCTURE AND ELECTRICITY SUPPLY AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE, REPRESENTED BY 5 THE ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION AND SUPPLY AUTHORITY AND MINISTRY OF ENERGY AND THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND KARADENIZ POWERSHIP KAYA BEY COMPANY LIMITED, SIERRA LEONE, DATED 30TH JUNE, 2020” [Applause].
THE SPEAKER: Let us proceed.

IV.

GOVERNMENT MOTION DR PATRICIA N. LAVERLEY [THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF FINANCE] BE IT RESOLVED: THAT THIS HONOURABLE HOUSE HEREBY RATIFIES THE FOLLOWING AGREEMENTS WHICH WERE LAID ON THE TABLE OF THE HOUSE ON TUESDAY 20TH OCTOBER, 2020: [i].

LOAN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE AND THE OPEC FUND FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT [OFID], DATED 19TH OCTOBER, 2019; and [ii].
LOAN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE AND THE ARAB BANK FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA [BADEA], DATED 17TH NOVEMBER, 2020.

HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Mr Speaker, may I observe sir?

THE SPEAKER: Yes.

HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Mr Speaker, I don’t know if you heed to the plea of the [Interruption].

THE SPEAKER: Order!

This is not a market place.

HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Thank you Mr Speaker, for your protection.

It is just a point of concern.


I believe the Leader of Opposition made a plea that we hold on for just one minute, for him to hang heads with the Leader of Government Business.

This is consultation.

THE SPEAKER: He did not plea, his plea did not extend to s forestalling the Proceedings of the House.

6 HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Well, that is my understanding sir.

THE SPEAKER: We shall proceed accordingly.


The Deputy Leader of Government Business, what do you have to say about laying of Government Paper under [b]?

Your leader has come; I hope he can now take care of that.

Are you amending the Order Paper or not?

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA [Leader of Government Business]: It is okay Mr Speaker.

I don’t know what Order Paper you have; you have the wrong Order Paper Sir.

THE SPEAKER: That is a very serious indictment.

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: All of us have this one.


HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Mr Leader, you should have approached the Speaker quietly.

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: I don’t know if Mr Speaker has any other Paper, there is only one Order Paper, only this one; I didn’t know you are given two Order Papers.

This is what I approved, the one you have with the “Government Motion”.

The other I did not sign it Mr Speaker.

I am not aware of that Order Paper you have, so I don’t know.
THE SPEAKER: What is the status of the Order Paper?

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: The one I signed.

THE SPEAKER: When you make amendment bring it to me, but I did not see it; and shall we proceed please?

The Minister of Finance!


DR PATRICIA N. LAVERLEY: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, be it resolved that the loan Agreements between the Republic of Sierra Leone and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa, on the one hand; the Opec Fund for International Development [OFID] for the implementation of the Sierra Leone Education Sectors Support Projects, which were laid on the Table of this Honourable House on 20th of October, 2020 be ratified.
7 Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I have the honour to inform you that the above Loan Agreements were signed by the Minister of Finance on the 19th of October, 2019, and the 17th November, 2019 respectively to the amount of $20 Mln each, on behalf of the Government of Sierra Leone.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, these projects are to contribute to the implementation of the Strategy Plan for the Education Sector for 2018 to 2020; and the strategy is to improve the Free and Quality Education and to also ensure that the Pupils and Students in underserved areas, do have access to better schools, and to spread Higher and Technical Education to other parts of the country.
The overriding objective of the project is to contribute to the achievement of goal 4 of the Sustainable Development goals of ensuring quality and Universal Education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities to contribute to the Social Economic Development of the country; through enhancing the quality and the efficiency of the Education Sector; specifically at the Secondary and Higher College Education Levels.
The proposed project includes the rehabilitation and construction of new buildings and the furnishing of 2 Technical Institutes to Technical and Higher Education Stage.

As well as poor existing public schools, for the Basic and Secondary Education Stage, in each region of the country.

It also includes construction of an Administration Building for the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education.

And will include the following: [I].


In the area of Technical and Higher Education, the first activity will include re- constructional expansion of the Bunumbu Teachers College, including the Eastern Polytechnic, with new construction areas of sixteen thousand, four hundred and twenty square metres; and the rehabilitation of 27 thousand, square metres; and [II].
Reconstruction and expansion of the Milton Margai Collage of Education and Technology, including the proposed college of Tourism at the Goderich campus.

It will include new construction area of 27 thousand square metres and the rehabilitation of 21 thousand, four hundred square metres.

In relation to Basic and Senior Secondary Education, the Project will include reconstruction and expansion of 4 Public Secondary Schools located in four different 8 Regions of the country.
The Bo Government Secondary School, Kenema Government Secondary School, the Magburaka Boys Secondary School and Prince of Wales Secondary School [Applause].

With new construction area of thirty one thousand, two hundred and fifty square metres and rehabilitation of seventy four thousand, seven hundred square metres.
This project will construct Administrative Building of seven stories for the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, in Freetown with the total area of three thousand, one hundred and thirty six square metres.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, the project consists of the following parts: component 1.

Civil works and Salaries, this component will finance rehabilitation and construction works of the four Public Secondary Schools and two Colleges.
It will include the construction of the seven floor story building, rehabilitation of existing class rooms and the Administrative Building will include; Libraries, Laboratories, offices for the Managers, offices for Teachers, areas to hold Workshops, Storage Rooms, Toilets, Hospitality Buildings, School Restaurants, Staff Restaurants, School Clinics, kitchens, external fences and so on.

The external works will include tanks in the schools, water wells connections to Public facilities, and so on.
The project also includes supplies of office and Education furniture, Laboratory equipment for Students in the Sciences.

This component will finance the supply and the installation of school furniture for Class rooms, Offices, Teacher’s housing and so on.

We will also include equipment for Science subjects, equipment for Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.

The Third Component will include; making provision for consultancy services.
This component will finance the preparation of the detailed document to provide funds for the pre-contract phase on the ten pre-processes; so that interested vendors can bid for these contracts.

He will also make funds available for the supervision of civil works execution, as well as preparation of the projects completion reports.

The Fourth Component will include; the project implementation unit.

This component will finance procurement of Pick up vehicles, Computers and Office equipment.
This is the financing implication of these projects; the overall cost is $68 Mln of which BADEA is financing $20 Mln, the Optic Fund for International Development will be finance $20 9 Mln, Saudi Fund for Development will finance $25 Mln and the Government of Sierra Leone $3 Mln.

The Loan agreements for BADEA and OPEC are the ones that were laid on the Table of this House.

The Loan Agreement for the Saudi Fund will be brought before this Honourable House after it is signed.
Government shall pay an interest rate of 1.7; 5% per annum on the principal amount of the loan withdrawn and outstanding from time to time with BADEA.

The interest shall be paid annually in four instalments after a grace period of five years.

Government shall pay an interest rate of 1.2, 5%, on the principal interest of the loan withdrawn and outstanding with OPEC.

Government shall also pay a service charge at the rate of 1% per annum, on the Principal amount of the loan withdrawn and outstanding.
Interest and service charges shall be paid annually.

The Interest and Principal amount shall be re-paid annually, in thirty instalments; only after a five year grace period.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, given the importance of these projects to our Government, I move that this Honourable House ratifies the Loan Agreements between the Republic of Sierra Leone, the Arab Bank for Economic Development in African and the Optic Fund for International Development for the Rapid Implementation of the Sierra Leone Education Sectors Support Project.

I thank you all for your attention [Applause].


THE SPEAKER: Honourable Members, before I put the question, I want to take this opportunity to recognize the presence in our midst of Mr Salieu Saidu, Director of Information, Education and the inter-sectorial Collaboration of the EPA [Applause].

[Question proposed] HON.

FRANCIS A. KAISAMBA: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, this is a very simple and straight forward agreement; it is not controversial.
The Government of H.E President, Bio has directed 21% of the National Budget to Education.

Of course, we all know that the Flagship Project is, “Free Quality Education”.

And Government is doing a lot to ensure that these aims are achieved and to ensure that Government is very, very 10 serious ensuring that we succeed.

Government is going further to contract Loans like these two Loans presented by the Deputy Minister of Finance amounting to $20mln each.
As you rightly mentioned, these Loans would be geared towards constructing and rehabilitating further class room buildings of schools across the whole country, which I am sure will benefit our people as we represent them here.

Secondly, Tertiary and Higher Education Institutions like, the Bunumbu Teachers College, the Eastern Polytechnic and the Milton Margai Teachers College will equally benefit without regard, provision of new buildings and rehabilitation of dilapidated buildings.
The Loan facility will equally provide Teaching and Learning Materials for both the Basic and Senior Education and the Higher and Tertiary Education.

And of course, as she mentioned, an Administrative Building to the magnitude of seven storey would be constructed for the Basic and Senior Secondary Education in Freetown.
And the interest on the Loan as she rightly mentioned is but very minimal and Sierra Leone will be paying all of these over a period of time and with ease that will not bother much on the operations of the Government.

So I believe in essence, this Government wants to ensure that we succeed in the Free Quality Education.
And so, as a representative of the people, and Honourable Members present, like I rightly mentioned, this is but a very Simple Non-Controversial Agreement which I think that we can go through and ratify.
Probably, the only concern I have Madam Minister is this; that the Minister of Finance signs this Agreement for and on behalf of the people of this country, but there are beneficiary Ministries; like the Ministry of Basic and Senior Education and the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education; they ought to would have been here so that they listen to the concerns of Members of Parliament on how they could out the implementations of these loans, because these are huge and colossal amount which our children and grandchildren will eventually be paying.
And so we may want to see and to advise and to warn on the judicious use of these funds so that their intended purposes for which they were incurred can be realised.

So in future, we may want to see the institutions implementing or benefitting, to be present here in the Well whilst we debate.

11 Having said that, once again I believe this is but a very simple agreement, I want to encourage Members of Parliament to look at them, but of course to ratify.

Thank you very much.

HON.


HASSAN A. SESAY: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, like the Chairman of Finance just said, it is non-controversial; that is what he told us and we would not question that of course.

Even though we know a Loan is a Loan, a debt is a debt, even though our Minister of Finance once told us, that they do not result to borrowing yet we are getting loans always.
However, having said that, I happened to be an old boy of the Magburaka Secondary School, which is to benefit from this kind of loan, we appreciate and welcome that.

Like we always said Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, we on this side will never stand in the way of progress for this country, because the nation comes first; we don’t know what our colleagues think on the other side.
However, let us also understand that improving Basic and Secondary Education, of course is one thing which we all love and want to see in this country, but I also want to call the attention of the stakeholders in education that “Catching them young” is very vital in the process of education.

Why am I saying that?

There is video doing the rounds of primary school kids; some were in Port Loko sitting on the Floor to take lessons, write examinations [undertone].

No Sir!

It is not old!

Allow me to speak!


And if I tell you, maybe you are not properly informed, Honourable Member.

If I tell you, it was circulated by an Honourable Member of this House to draw attention of us as representatives to this kind of issue.

We appreciate the effort of the Government to acquire such a loan for improvement of these schools which we are all going to benefit from, including every region.
We appreciate that; it is a laudable effort, it is not controversial, but let us don’t forget those who we must not forget.

I also want to draw the attention; talking about Vocational Education, there has been a Trade Centre in Magburaka for the longest time.

And also, the Girls’ School in my constituency is a Government School; that is the only Government Secondary School in the Northern Region and it was the first school.
Those Schools need attention; those Institutions need attention because now we are talking about improving the Mining in 12 Bumbuna that is going to benefit the country.

We knew about Kingho and African Minerals which were once called the bread basket of Sierra Leone.

The Trade Centre in Magburaka was meant to train the middle level man power in that part of the Country.
Now, we also want the Government to pay attention to that Institution so that they will be a source of supply for technical people to Kingho that is going to benefit the nation, because remember that if we train people who are knowledgeable in technical areas, it is going to benefit not only Kingho but the nation as a whole.

So we appreciate the effort of the Government, we applaud you for what you have done.

The loan is not controversial.


We would approve it, but let those things that must be taken care of be looked into.

And this one must also be noted by the consultant of Kingho, so that the people who are to provide labour and technical expertise for Kingho will be trained in the area where Kingho is based.

So please Mr Consultant, I want you to pay attention to that and join us in the fight to let us rehabilitate the Trade Centre in Magburaka so that it would benefit Kingho and the nation as a whole.
I thank you very much [Applause].

HON.

JOSEPH W. LAMIN: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, what we have in the House today is non-controversial, but at the same time I want to draw the attention of the Deputy Minister of Finance to this Agreement.

There is a very important school that was deliberately left out; and that is the Government Secondary School, Koyeima.

So if we talk about a school that brings the North, the South and the East together, we are talking about Koyeima.
And if you are educated in Koyeima, you fear no one but only respect people; and if you are educated in Koyeima, tribalism which is the barrier for our development in Sierra Leone will not be an issue; if you are educated in Koyeima, you have no fear to go anywhere in any corner of this country.

And for that reason, Madam Deputy Minister, I crave your indulgence that please, in due course we consider institutions that are deprived and that are isolated.
All these schools that you have named have Old Boys who are either former Presidents or in other higher positions.

They can donate money to those schools; they have right to donate money.

For instance, the Government Secondary Schools we are talking about has Old Boys that 13 can donate monies to them.

But when you think about Koyeima, it is so isolated, it is so down there, Koyeima is nowhere, Koyeima is well in the bush, Koyeima that we need to consider it.
For those reasons, we need to consider Koyeima as a top priority in due course.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, when I saw the Loan; $20Mln at an interest rate of 1.25% for the next fifteen years, we are talking about Three Million Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars [$3, 750,000].
When you think about quality, when you think about the dividend that you will get for education, I will consider that interest Rate as pittance, because I remembered when I passed for the Government Secondary School Koyeima with admission number2957 in 1976, on that day; my mum had to borrow Thirty Leones [Le30] to pay for my boarding Fees, and the interest rate was Fifteen Leones [Le 15,000].

So in total, my mum had to pay Forty five Leones [Le45] as interest for the Loan that she took.
Today, I am the most influential person in my family and I can pay that in a twinkle of an eye.

So there is no bad feeling for that Interest Rate.

So on that note, Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I crave your indulgence to give due diligence to this Agreement and that we pass it into Law.

Thank you Mr Speaker.

HON.

VERONICA K. SESAY: Thank you very much Mr Speaker.

I am asking all my children from this part and over there to please give me chance.

Thank you very much.


Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, let me first of all take this opportunity to thank His Excellency for accepting this particular Agreement in this Country.

Talking about quality Education, these are some of the things that we have been looking out for, and also is not a vote of thanks, but when somebody does a very good thing you have to give him or her applause or a tap on the back.

So let me give this tap on the back of the Deputy Minister of Finance for this laudable venture.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, it is very timely, it is important, it is beneficial for every one of us here, because we are representing thousands of people out there so we must be very, happy.

And talking about rehabilitation and all what the Minister has highlighted in that agreement; building of schools, and renovating of schools, giving 14 learning materials and even sanitary buildings in schools, that is very, very much good, because sometimes we face some of these problems.
Some of us are coming from the Provinces, and we were educated in the Provinces.

We know the constrains that we got in these Schools.

What I want to plead for is the incentive for some of these Teachers who are in the most remote Villages.

Sometimes you have quality Schools or very important buildings that you have spent so much money on, but the teachers are not happy to be there.

So I will ask that you have an incentive added to this of your Programs.
To the Donor Partners, we want to say a very big thank you because; they have helped Sierra Leone greatly.

We want to make sure that we make use of whatever single cent or whatever they do to help the Education Sector in our Country.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, talking about Koyeima, I want to join Honourable to appeal for Koyeima.
When I was attending school in Magburaka, I sometimes went there on holidays; that is the best place for education, because if you have children confined in that area, they have to walk three or five miles to go and see whatever recreation they want to have, or if they want life for instance, but because some of these Schools have been built in the centre or the heart of the District, sometimes S. O (2) “Den dae keck”, to go out at night.
But if you are in Koyeima, you cannot dare it to come to even Bo to get the thing that you want.

So I will say Koyeima is more vulnerable, so please pay attention to that School, because they were the feeder schools for the Bo School, you will find out that anybody who comes out from Koyeima is part of Bo School.

They have Paramount Chief’s Children and other big dignitaries Koyeima, then Bo School; and also Government Secondary School for Girls Magburaka.
Mr Speaker, I want to join my colleagues to plead for the Government Secondary School for Girls.

If you see me standing here speaking my broken English, is because I come from the Government Secondary School for Girls in Magburaka; that is the only girl Secondary School in the North, and we are saying we want girls to be educated, we want to have more girls, more women in governance and we are fighting for affirmative action.
15 Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, where do we want to get this affirmative from?

Where do we want to get more women from?

It is our Girls’ Schools, so I want you to please pay attention to the Girls’ Schools especially, the Government Secondary School for Girls.

Again, that is the best place to learn, because you have to walk about three to five miles to come to Magburaka to get anything that you want.
Sometimes when we were there, our school Boys normally go there at night, but it was very difficult to penetrate out there, so that is the best place if we are talking about Girl Child or Education for Women; you have to pay attention to them, since you are the Deputy, the number 2 in the Ministry.
Of course, we are not jealous of the Boy’s Schools, but the Girls’ Schools, you should pay similar attention, because we are more vulnerable and we want to learn, but we are asking for 30% or 50% for affirmative action.

People are asking where are the women?

And the women are out there in some of these secondary schools like, Harford School for Girls in Moyamba and the Saint Joseph’s School.
You have to pick some of these schools so that we have more Honourable Members, more Teachers, more Vice Presidents, and more Presidents if possible.

So we want to say thank you for the rehabilitation.

If you are not rehabilitating them for now, we want you to please think about something even minimal so that the people will get themselves happy.

They will say well, we have representatives in the Parliament.

So I am appealing, but for this agreement it is very good; it is timely and it is laudable.
I want to say thank you and also my advice at the end is the monitoring mechanism.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, we have to monitor the Contractors, because now when they say it is Government’s money, they provide poor quality materials.

So I want all Honourable Members, who are coming from these particular Constituencies and to make sure you know the Contractors.
When you are talking about “Kingho”, make sure you lobby with the “Kingho” partners, they will help you, so I want to say thank you, keep it up and continue to plead and continue to negotiate for the women.

Thank you very much.

THE SPEAKER: I thank the Honourable Lady for her contribution.

Honourable Members, when we resume Parliament at the last Sitting; I made it abundantly clear 16 that it is not going to be business as usual.
I want to start by taking the opportunity to thank and congratulate all Members who are properly attired in compliance and in conformity with the dignity of this House.

I thank them profusely.

For those who are not properly attired, please don’t lead me to a position of naming and shaming you, do the needful right now before I proceed.

I have made it abundantly clear; that it is not going to be business as usual.
I thank Honourable Members, who have complied for those of you who have not; I am giving you the opportunity to do the needful.

Honourable Lahai Marah, the Member from Falaba.

HON.

LAHAI MARAH: Thank you very much Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker, education is the priority of this Government.
It is the “New Direction” priority, so Billions of Leones have been allocated to education, and presently Mr Speaker, when you ask the Minister of Energy, when you ask the Minister of Health, when you ask the Minister of Works, what are you people doing?

They will say, we have the Free and Quality Education.

Mr Speaker, they will say we have the Free and Quality Education, everything presently about the “New Direction” Government is the Free Quality Education.
Mr Speaker, the Free Quality Education was launched on the 20th of August, 2018.

It is almost two years now, what is the impact, are we actually assessing it?

Mr Speaker, in the recently concluded NPSE, a private student came first.

Mr Speaker, our children that are attending primary schools are totally being neglected.

A Honourable Member mentioned it briefly.

I bet every Member of Parliament here and even out of this Parliament, their children will never go to Government Primary Schools.
The reason being that, 90% of Primary School Buildings are dilapidated.

They are in a very poor environment, poor sanitary facilities.

The Primary School children cater for children between the ages of six to twelve years.

In other words, as a father like me, as a mother like the Minister sitting here, we should be taking care of our children that are attending those deplorable schools.

Our Primary Education Infrastructure Mr Speaker is nothing to write home about.
Mr Speaker, we are talking about developing Secondary Schools.

You go to Prince of Wales, their environment is very much ideal with magnificent building.

You go to my 17 school, Services Secondary School; their environment is ideal and fenced, well placed.

Mr Speaker, you go to Bo School, you go to Kenema Government Secondary School, and you go to Magburaka Boys School, but what about the primary schools, where those children are attending?
Take any primary school in Freetown Mr Speaker; you will regret being there.

So Madam Minister, let us kindly please think of our Primary School Children.

Mr Speaker, in my Constituency, there is a Section called Kulor-Seradu Section, there is a town called Wulalu.

Mr Speaker, during the past NPSE exams, they have to walk for about forty miles, with terrible roads in middle of the forest, for them to access a centre for the NPSE.
Mr Speaker, these are children between the ages of six to twelve years, imagine your child walking about forty miles from Yalwadu to Krubola; you have to go through the bush, accessibility is almost impossible, if you want to use a bike or a vehicle.

Mr Speaker, you have to visit Koidu town and Yalwadu.

Mr Speaker, these are our children that are being neglected, these are our children that have been forgotten, we are focusing on Secondary Schools, our Primary kids are not being taken care of Mr Speaker.
Mr Minister; I could remember when you people came in, and you were talking about loans everywhere.

The APC took a lot of loans, we have a lot of domestic loans, we cannot manage the economy, there is difficulty in doing this, but you have taken more than 40% loan within these two years in this country; now you are in that shoe, now you know what it means, but yet still we will support you.
Mr Speaker, Mr Speaker, yes indeed we are talking about Free and Quality Education, yes indeed, when you ask even the Leader of Government Business in this Parliament what have you people done?

He will say, we have achieved the Free and Quality Education without any assessment.

I have just mentioned that in the recent NPSE result, a private school pupils came first that is not under the Free and Quality Education.

Mr Speaker, the late payment of subventions is a concern.
It is not only the late payment of subventions, but even when those subventions have been paid, are they properly accounted for?

How are the Principals accountable for those subventions?

What is the use of those subventions?

Is it for them to maintain the sanitary aspect of 18 schools?

Are they used to more chairs and what is the use of those subventions?

But also the accountability aspect is another issue.
Mr Speaker, according to the Minister and when you look at page 13 of this loan, it will help to rehabilitate and reconstruct four Secondary Schools, and also Milton Margai, the Bunumbu Teachers College that is fine.

Mr Speaker, we applaud that one.

Mr Speaker, when you go to page four [4] of the loan, that is the one dealing with the Republic of Sierra Leone and Arab Bank for Economic Development.
Look at page four [4] under Section 304, it states, “The borrower shall cause the Ministry to establish [S.C], that is Searing Committee which shall be at the top of the executing body, and shall be of nine members, and representing members shall be from the Ministry of Works, Housing and Infrastructure, the Ministry of Technical and Higher education, including the beneficiaries.
Mr Speaker, presently, Parliament is being looked at as if we are not performing our roles, as if we are not performing our responsibilities, though one of our critical functions is oversight.

Mr Speaker, but sometimes when you have these Committees being formed, there is no area in which you need Parliamentary intervention.

The Committee on Education should be part of that steering Committee, so that we begin the accountability process at the very start of the implementation.
Mr Speaker, another area we also need to look at is when you have project of such nature; sometimes you have certain people that will take away almost 10% of the entire project which is the Consultant.

Mr Speaker, the Consultants in every project are very much important and necessary; but giving $2mln [two million dollars] to the Consultant of this project is very huge.

Mr Speaker, I just mentioned about the people in Walalu, Kulor-Seradu Section, in Constituency 42.
Mr Speaker, they have to walk for about 40 miles for them to access NPSE centres.

Mr Speaker, $2mln can build two Secondary Schools, three Primary Schools in that place, if we know how to do it.

Giving $2mln to just an individual for just consultancy job Mr Speaker, that money is too much.

Mr Speaker, let me take you to page 16, of this loan.

THE SPEAKER: Honourable Member, may I draw your attention to S.O 38[1].

19 HON.

LAHAI MARAH: Mr Speaker, if you go to page 16, page 16 is the cost of salaries.
Mr Speaker, if you look at the Project Co-ordinator, the Project Co-ordinator will be there for about 60 months and for each month, the Project Co-ordinator will be taking away $3,500 per month.

Mr Speaker, $3,500 per month is almost Le40mln per month.
Mr Speaker, if you think of people in Yalwadu, that are suffering that much, let us say, $3,500 per month for the people of Yalwadu Mr Speaker, and then the Project Co-ordinator can go away with $3,000, to me, the Project Co-ordinator, to be given nearly Le40mln per month, that is too much.

Mr Speaker, do we have right as Members of Parliament or as Parliament to re-adjust this agreement?
Mr Speaker, if we do have that right, I therefore urge you that the consultancy fee of $2mln is too huge; let us keep at least $500 thousand for the people of Yalwadu.

The children there are walking for about 40 miles, for them to access NPSE centre in Krubola and sometimes over 70 miles, because if you don’t want to walk you have to go through Koidu Town and then come to krubola.
Mr Speaker, giving an individual $2mln throughout this project is huge; let us adjust that particular amount to 1.5mln and save $500 for the people of Yalwadu.

Mr Speaker, this Parliament would have made history and you will be in history Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker, what about the $3,500 given to the Project Co-ordinator; $3,500 is almost Le40Mln.

Mr Speaker, that money again is too huge, let us reduce that money to $3,000 and save the $500.
Mr Speaker, if you read the Constitution, Section [117] to [118], we are in charge of loans in fact, before even coming with the loan for approval, we should have had a resolution, that the Ministry is intended of taking certain form of loan; that is not being done.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, if you look on the same page under the Salary Cost, there is an amount there for vehicle Mr Speaker which is $44,000, what type of vehicle is that?
When I browsed the internet, used vehicles like Prado, new brand one, you can get them for $25,000.

Mr Speaker, you can get those vehicles for $25,000; Mr Speaker, for you to buy vehicle for $44,000, that again is too huge [Noise].

20 Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, let me talk to the Honourable Minister.

Mr Speaker, please, I need your attention; and Members are disrupting me here!

THE SPEAKER: Order!

Order!

Order!

You are very close to the time limit.

HON.

LAHAI MARAH: Thank you very much.


THE SPEAKER: This is not to say that the points you are making are not extremely valid, and I hope the Minister is taking note.

HON.

LAHAI MARAH: Mr Speaker, I want the Minister to carefully look at page 3 of this agreement that is the one between the Republic of Sierra Leone and the Arab Bank for Economic Development.
On page 3, on section 2.05 it says, the borrower shall pay interest at the rate of 1 and 70% per annum, note the word “Per annum” on the principal amount, I am baffled.

I need further explanation, when you were doing your presentation, you made an attempt to explain, but not to my own understanding.

If you link that one again to Section 2.0 it says, interest and other eventual charges, please explain further we want us to be clear about this particular agreement; what are those “Eventual Charges”?
Shall be paid Semi-annually?

First, we talked about the interest of 1.75% to be paid annually, now in this other Section, it is again talking about interest and other Eventual charges shall be paid Semi-annually; please analyse those two for us and if you go down to 2.07 it says, the borrower shall repay the principal amount of the loan in 40 Semi-instalments as specified, we would understand that; after a grace period of 5 years so again, there is something like, we are paying interest again.
Mr Speaker, I want you to note this!

To my own understanding; there is something like paying interest now we have the $25mln being given to us for example, we are paying interest on every withdrawal of that $25mln and also paying interest on the reminder that we have not yet utilised; so I want you to clarify that for me.
Mr Speaker, having said all these, I want to state here as an Accountant, you cannot run a business without acquiring a loan, but the “New Direction” Government for two years now, they have taken 40% of the loans they met that is saying; all what they have been saying about 21 APC Government acquiring loans, they were just playing music, and now they are dancing to the music.

Thank you very much [Applause].


THE SPEAKER: I thank the Honourable Member from Falaba, although the example he has set is not a very good one from a time observation point of view; please, I am imploring the other speakers not to follow the example of the Honourable Member from Falaba.

The four of you, you sort yourselves out, let me recognise the Honourable Member, from Koyeima.

HON.

JOSEPH ABDUL B. KAMARA: Thank you very much Mr Speaker.
I am Honourable Bash Kamara; I am representing the Constituency where Koyeima is.

Severally, the issue of promoting Education is key to the Government of Sierra Leone; and down memory lane, I think Koyeima and Jimmy Bagbo were created with specific objectives at that time to provide Accessible Education to the poor that are in the Rural Areas.

So that after a while, they could migrate to the Urban centre to have further education.
And Bo school was such a structure and other Government Schools at the urban centres that were built so that they can harbour these Rural Poor after they shall have been groomed from these Rural Secondary Schools of Koyeima and Jimmy Bagbo.

Mr Speaker, unfortunately, most of the Leaders and Senior People we have today were groomed from Jimmy Bagbo and Koyeima and later at Bo school, but they are all shouting Bo school, Bo school!
Today, if we are to embrace the legacy that was set that helped the rural poor to be educated, I think we must get back to memory lane and start providing facilities for the rural schools.

We have the greater population in the rural areas that are deprived of educational opportunities and facilities; if we want to increase the level of education, we must prioritise these rural communities but unfortunately, I am sensing the reverse which is very, very unfortunate.
If we look at the situation of Bo school, Bo school is being rehabilitated from all Old Boys, from His Excellency the President, and Bo School is situated in a place where we have a lot and lots of Educational facilities, while Koyeima is situated in a place where it is only Koyeima or the Students perish while Jimmy is situated in a community where it is only Jimmy, or the community perished.
22 So Madam Minister, in as much as we are making every effort to promote education, I think the priority must be given to rural areas; to me it sounds that, you are not sending people round to go and see where these felt needs are in promoting “Quality Education”.
We are seated in the Urban Centre where all the facilities are, and just concentrating on promoting the urban centres; if you go to Koyeima, it is disheartening to know that it is the worst Government Institution in the country; Koyeima, is the worst Government Institution in the country [Applause].
It does not even have furniture for the NPSE, I had to intervene but yet the Ministry, they are all not going to see what is happening in the rural communities; to support His Excellency’s vision, to promote “Quality and accessible Education”; I think all stake holders in the Education Sector and donors must endeavour to go to the rural areas and see what is prevailing there so that they can plan themselves better.
Mr Speaker, to me, in as much as I appreciate your effort, they seemingly appear to me misplaced; if we are going to cater for Bo school and other Urban Centres leaving the Rural Communities, i therefore, want to crave your indulgence and ask for the support of this House to prevail on the Government to go down to the Rural Communities.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, that is where they must start to provide facilities, to support the Education System, because those Rural Communities will serve as a feeder school to the Urban Areas where these opportunities are.

Sometimes ago, Koyeima, Boys School, Magburaka and Kenema again, were prioritised in this Well to receive Educational support.
I was promised by the Minister of Finance saying that Koyeima is under consideration and today again, it is the same schools where Koyeima, where is Jimmy Bagbo.

Please Madam, I am also calling on my colleagues to support me, so that we would all ask you to prioritise Koyeima.
The Principal’s quarter is worst than an Animal farm; go to Koyeima, it does not appear like a school, go to the Boarding Home Department, it is like a poultry farm for the kids, it is very disheartening and I am suffering; even though, we have Teachers at Koyeima, the quarters are not there, they are harbouring around the villages to walk to school; it is a burden on me, and the Government has prioritised Education.
23 Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I am calling on all a sundry to join me to give a face-lift to the Education Sector at Koyeima; so that the pupils, the younger generation, that would become Leaders of tomorrow do not perish.

I thank you [Applause].

THE SPEAKER: I thank the Honourable Member, for his contribution.

Let me take another lady; the Honourable Lady, you have the Floor followed by Honourable Dr Kargbo, Member from Karena District.

HON.
HON.

JOSEPHINE MAKIEU: Thank you Mr Speaker for giving me the opportunity again this morning to debate on this important project that is before us this morning.

First of all, I must stand to say thanks to the Minister of Finance and his Deputy; who are really probing in to our problems to see it necessary for our people to get what they need.
Education which is our Flagship Project is a priority to everyone in this country, because if someone is not educated, you have a lot of difficulties, you have a lot of problems, as I am presently facing in my Constituency.
The last time i went for Agricultural oversight, we realized that those Companies that are coming to help or invest in our Country; our people are always crying, that they want their children to be employed in these Companies, but when you look at their Credentials or Educational backgrounds, it is not up-to-date for them to be employed in these Companies or to be given the facilities.
So to me, Education is paramount; but as I said, my colleagues were saying that we don’t need to be looking just in the cities; we have to go down in the rural settings, because for me in my Constituency, I have been yearning, crying, for us to even get a Secondary School.

The Secondary School which we got far back is just up to Junior Secondary School, and this Junior Secondary School was only approved during this regime.

It has been approved and it is a Government Secondary School, Malegohun Chiefdom.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, this Government Secondary School has a lot of problems.

It is a Co-Educational school; our girls are getting pregnant because, most of the time when they pass their NPSEs, they find their way to Kenema and other bigger towns; their parents; they don’t have the time, they don’t have the chance to study because when you go to someone who is your guardian, you have to work for that 24 person for 24 hours.

The distance is always militating against them.


So having that school in our area is really, really important, but I want to call on your attention to the Government Secondary School in Kenema.
I am very much happy for the project that is going on there, but I want to call on your attention that you should not forget the interior, like the type of Secondary School we have got, we need it to grow, we need a lot of facilities, the pupils are there, and I have a very big burden; even for us to get the Teachers to go there, it is a problem.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, but we believe that with this “New Direction”, your hands are ready to spread all over the country, and we are pleading that His Excellency, the Minister, put us on the map as well.
We appreciate the project, it is really, really important and we feel that every Honourable Member of Parliament here is really happy about the project, but we also want at the time of the project implementation, when the project is on-going, the Sitting MPs within the area should be there to see what is happening; they should be informed, because most of the projects that are going around, we only hear about then, we don’t see them, they don’t even tell us, but if we are informed, maybe when we get there as Honourable Members of Parliament, whatever that is happening there, we will keep the Parliament informed and we will know what and what to put in place.
So I thank His Excellency, very much for what he is doing for us and the Minister and his Deputy for what they have done for us.

We appreciate the project very much, mind you; don’t forget the Girl’s Schools in the country as well.

Thank you.

THE SPEAKER: I thank the Honourable lady for her contribution to the Debate.

Honourable from Karene District, you have the Floor, after him, the Honourable Member from Kono.

HON.

DR ROLAND KARGBO: Thank you Mr Speaker.


Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I think we can only thank the Minister for presenting the Loan Agreement for ratification; because funding is centred to the success of the “Free Education”, especially if you add the content “Quality”.

Even before this time, Education has always been expensive.

And when this Government decided to introduce the Free Quality 25 Education” of course, that added a lot more responsibility for funding.
I remember shortly before the introduction of the Free Quality Education, the Ministry of Education carried out a census in which 2.5 million children were captured for the introduction of the program.
Of course, the guidelines, we heard was anything called school should be included so people holding classes under trees were also counted in the 2.5; and when the actual implementation came, it captured only Government and Government- Assisted Schools, reducing the number possibly by half, and even this half has been a problem.
When this program started, I remember when it was launched; funds were raised through pledges across the whole country, and some of us said; this was a non- starter and the budget allocation increased and today, it is 21% of the National Budget, it is still way down the line.

Mr Speaker, today we are approving a loan of nearly $50Mln, to fund the rehabilitation of two [2] Teacher Training Colleges and four [4] Schools.
That is just a small number taking into consideration as other Members have said based on the number of Schools in the country.

But I must also add that the concerns which other Members raised are very important; that we are considering the Privileged Schools as first choice.

Of course, this is not new; few years back, we saw several Government’s built schools that were converted to Private Schools and they are making huge monies out of resources funded, and nobody is saying anything about it.
But the fact is that, we are creating a very strong class society, when we choose a few schools that must be of course, of necessity, we can’t take everything at one time; but where do we begin?

We begin at the good to make them better and leave the worst ones to go on wallowing in their poverty as we have already heard.

As I said, the Funding of Education is important from the beginning.

If we look back at Education when it started mainly; “Fake-based” funding of Education, it was good.
But we know that eventually, the Funding of Education has got to be Government’s responsibility, because it is the responsibility of Government to educate its citizens.

If other people come to help that is fine, like Missionaries, if other partners come to help that is fine, if we are going to start with loans and grants its fine; but in the long run, this Government, this Country, must come 26 to the funding of Education and find a sustainable means of Funding Education as we see it.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I was going through the cybercrime document Bill and there I saw as a suggestion for funding as certain percentage of all electronic activities 0.005%; are to go into funding this program and it is in the Bill.

I think this is a sound starting, because when you consider electronic activities are going to increase over the years; then you will see the size of funding that it would gather for this particular thing.
In 2018, when i was in the Education Committee we deliberated with the Ministry, and the issue of Sustainable Funding came up.

Because one thing we must know; we call this “Free Education” it is not free?

It is only we the individuals that are free from taking personal responsibility.

The responsibility has been put on the President, on the State, and the State must find the money, and when the State looks for money, it comes back to the people.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, in the long run we must take responsibility, I believe that when the President sleeps every night, and he thinks about Education, one of the things he thinks about, is how “Free Quality Education” is going to be sustained; and that is correct.
If this Government is serious about the “Free Quality Education”, they cannot sleep without thinking over the question of how this program is going to be sustained, it’s not going to be sustained by loans; we can only develop it through loans.

It cannot be sustained by pledges; it has got to be included as a co-substance in the Financial Management Budget.

I think the sooner we think about this, the better.
The $50Mln, for two [2] Teacher Training Collages and four [4] Secondary Schools; what about the hundreds of schools all over the country which are in a very terrible Stated, which we have not considered?

And by the way, when we talk about regions, we start thinking of about five [5] regions.
I didn’t hear North-West, but North-West should be there; we must learn to consider that we have the North, the South, the East, the Western Area and the North-West, I think it should be considered if we are thinking about Government schools, in the various regions, the North-Western region should be considered as well, very dearly in need.

Thank you Mr Speaker [Applause].

27 HON.

PAUL S SAM: Thank you very much Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members!


THE SPEAKER: After the Honourable Member, we will take only two [2] more, and then we wind up the debate.

HON.

PAUL S SAM: The loan agreement before us as the Deputy Minister of Finance made it clear, that the loan is not controversial; the interest also does not actually hit into better agreement we refer to.
When you go to Annex II of the Loan Agreement, which actually gives the work-plan for which this loan is going to be addressed; it talked about Rule four [4] of the Sustainable Development Goals [SDGs], which looks at the life-long learning for all; a lifelong learning for all that tells you that there should be some amount of sustainability and also improvement in the Education Sector.
When we listened to all the speakers here this morning, 80% of them were addressing the issue of Education most especially in the rural settings.

If actually we want to address the issue of “Free Quality Education” we need to also go back to those villages, to those remote areas wherein there are poor schools; schools that actually need the help as compared to those schools that they are referring to in this particular loan.
If we are talking about goal four, in the Sustainable Development, we are talking about a lifelong learning for all, so somebody from Falaba, somebody from kabala, should also feel the pinch or the promotion or the quality of the education we are referring to.

But if we are referring to schools just within the major towns and districts, it will not actually help the “Free Quality Education” which the President is actually talking about.
The Honourable from Falaba was talking about a school at Walalu, I was there two months ago; of course, I am a School Proprietor and I went there to establish a Junior Secondary School, so I was within that particular region.

It is disheartened to know that Pupils of the Primary School from that same area walk three good days to access the NPSE centre.

They walked three good days from Walalu, because I shared bounder with the Honourable Member, to the area they normally write their NPSE exams.
That gives us the urge to actually go to that particular site to establish a Junior Secondary School, so that they have Primary Schools that are up to class six so that, that place can be a hub 28 to host those Primary Schools around, for them to be accessing the NPSE centre.

So that is why we went there two months ago to actually have meeting with the Authorities for the establishment of a school.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, if we want to achieve the “Free Quality Education”, thank God I am also part of the Education Committee at the moment for this particular Session and the zeal I saw in the Chairman of the Committee, we are going to actually take certain drastic measures to actually see we give our expertise, that we have in Education Sector, so that we will help the Ministry to succeed.
One of the factors that the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Education that they are misguided is the Supervisor of Schools that went to those areas, they normally go to those schools and villages when they are ready to give out exercise books or text books to pupils and after that they don’t even go there for fair supervision.

And because also of their limited number, they don’t have the motivation, they don’t normally go to those schools.
When they have school supplies they go to those Chiefdoms after the supply they come back to the city centres and most of them when you look at the work force for Supervisors, most especially for Kono District we only have three that are approved by Government, all of the other supervisors are just volunteers and if we want to actually achieve that it will be befitting for the Ministry to actually recruit permanent Supervisors of Schools and School Inspectors to be assigned to those areas; so that the dream for the “Free Education” will be achieved, that is number one.
And most of the information they need to bring to the Ministry should be focused on one; the locations, infrastructure of those areas.

Mr Speaker, they need to furnish the Ministry for them to know the status of those schools City Centres the Urban Centres for those help, then the lifelong learning we want to see for our children will not be achieved.

Secondly, Mr Speaker, I told you that the foundation of every education starts with the Pre and the Primary school.
Of course, I said so when the budget was here last year that when you look at the Le10, 000 per pupil in the Primary School is very appalling, where you have 500 pupils in the Primary School with Le10, 000 is just Le3Mln and most of these schools though the Government had fought very hard to actually approve 29 Teachers which is very much encouraging, when you look at the report from the Ministry of Education, so many Teachers have been approved though they are also intending to do that for 2020; may be because of the Covid that has not been addressed, but the Ministry of Finance needs to look at this, because Le10, 000 given for a foundation that actually will give birth to Secondary School and also Senior Secondary School and the Tertiary that foundation if it is not strong, there will always be a problem.
So it is befitting that the Ministry of Finance look into that you can even increase that to even Le20, 000 or Le30, 000 per child in the Primary School.
For the JSS, its good because Le50, 000, Le60, 000 for the SSS that one is fine but that foundation level wherein pupils can actually have the basic for them to be enrolled in the Junior Secondary School, if they don’t have that foundation or the motivation from the subsides they have, there is going to be problem for the JSS Teachers and also the SSS Teachers.

Thirdly, the school fees subside.

The timely payment of school fees subsides needs to be actually swift.
As I speak, the school fees subsides have not been paid.

What the Ministry of Finance is doing now is to pay the school fees subside to those schools, because it will not be a kind of backlog; because the Head Teachers or Principals are using these monies to manage the affairs of the school.
So if those monies are not coming on time, you will see lethargic in some areas of maintenance, sanitary areas to protect the kids in those areas will actually be difficult; because there are certain materials which will not be given by the Ministry.

The Head Teachers and Principals will use the monies for subsides to actually cushion some of these areas.
But as we speak, this is fifth week and subsides have not been paid, that shows if we want to actually see that the dream of His Excellency actually succeed we need to address that Mr Minister.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, we want to see the lifelong learning for pupils and we also look at the Kono University.

Of course, there were actually encouraging statements from the Ministry of Finance from the last address here, that the monies have already been catered for, that the monies are available.
We want to see the start 30 of Kono University, because that will also have the Universal approach, that every district is benefiting from this Education.
When you look at pupils writing the West African Senior School Certificate Examination [WASSCE] and they have the requirements to Universities and some of those parents do not have the monies to take them to Njala, to Fourah Bay College, then what will happen; at the end of the day, they will find themselves to those Teacher Qualification Colleges to go for TC, HTC, whilst they have the requirements; so what is happening for the Kono University?
Madam Minister, you need to tell us something about that because we want to see this lifelong learning for all.

For goal four in the Sustainable Development Goal to be achieved.

Kono also needs to feel the pinch of Education and the national cake has to be spread nationally.

On that note Mr Speaker, I have certain bullet points, I want to recommend: [i].

The continuous engagement with some experts, when you go to the Ministry; they designed some of those projects to fit into their own benefits.
What do I mean?

Now the monies were available and maybe you will ask the Ministry to give areas where these monies will be expended what they will do normally if they don’t have the people that actually have the heart for the entire Sierra Leone or the Communities that are deprived.
They will create areas just like what you have just mentioned; last year we heard about Magburaka Boys School and this year also we heard about Magburaka Boys School, we talk about Government Secondary School Bo and Kenema and also the Prince of Wales.
So none of the far reached, where pupils are also struggling you need to have a talk with the Committee in Parliament for Education, some of us have the skills gathered for past ten, fifteen years in the Education Sector to actually help the Ministry address most of those areas so that a holistic approach to some of those projects that we want to implement.

[ii].
[ii].

Mr Speaker, the other recommendation is the recruitment of more School Supervisors that actually will be charged with the responsibilities to bring in information from those rural areas to support the Ministry to give tangibles, so that will be able to look at those areas and then help.

As we speak there are some schools we have that 31 are using a thatch which we refer to S.O [2] as a “Baffah”, wherein kids are sitting down.
So if we look at those reports, when they are brought to the Ministry, they need to address most of these areas than looking at schools in the centres; because somebody spoke that we have Old Boys from those schools that normally put monies together to support those schools.

So let us look at the deprived communities if actually we want to achieve Goal-four in the Sustainable Development Goal.

Thank you very much Mr Speaker, God bless you.

THE SPEAKER: I thank the Honourable Member for his contribution.
I am afraid I have to bring this debate to a halt now, in light of the fact that the Minister has craved my indulgence to try and wind up the debate as she has other pressing appointments to attend to.

Shall we now please wind up the debate starting with the Leader of NGC, the Leader of the Opposition and then finally, the Leader of Government Business!

HON.
HON.

KANDEH K. YUMKELLA: Honourable Speaker, colleagues, we have in front of us another loan to be approved for our Republic, one that targets Human Capital Development.

I have maybe three general comments one is Mr Speaker, just to bring to your attention I was just taught this by some more experienced MPs, that if we look at Section 118 of the Constitution and I will read for colleagues; many of us did not know this, I was also just taught about this now.
Section 118 says, “Parliament may by a resolution passed in that behalf and supported by the Votes of a majority of all Members of Parliament, authorise the Government to enter into an Agreement for the granting of a loan out of any Public fund or public account”.
Since we have approved many loans in the last three years, I am wondering for your clarification in the future Mr Speaker, and those who are experienced whether in fact for some loans depending on the magnitude that, before Government even begins deeper negotiations whether they are supposed to come here first.

Mr Speaker, I am confused by the last three phrases public account, whether that is for domestic lending or international I don’t know.
In other words, whether they need guidance from Parliament; because what we are doing now is Section 118 Sub-Section 2.

We are approving, but I am hoping that for Honourable Chernor R. M. Bah, and 32 others who have been here longer and Honourable Deputy Speaker, who are all Lawyers; maybe will guide us in the future, that in fact we play our initial of giving guidance to Honourable Ministers and others before they enter into loans.
Of course, a loan that goes in to Human Capital Development is important for all the reasons my colleagues have raised those issues indeed, many of us are hoping that it will touch the rural communities I am just coming this morning from my Constituency, our Schools of course, the same thing they said about Koyeima applies to the schools in my Constituency or what Honourable Lahai Marah said about the Schools in Krubola and other places.
Our areas are very remote; many of us are hoping that it will touch the Rural Communities.

Second, generally about Free Education; I hope we are at the point now three [3] years into the Free Quality Education that Honourable Minister and her colleagues will create an opportunity for us to begin to do some assessment, so that those of us who are coming from distance locations can begin to give direct feedback to Government as to how it is being rolled out in our communities.
Indeed, Honourable Lahai Marah’s point is well on mark; the Private Schools are doing very well; what else can we do to make sure that we raise the quality in our government and government assisted schools.

Of course, we have always felt that “doing it in the face approach” makes sense, in other words, we strengthen Basic Primary Educations which make citizens become very functional.

Mr Speaker, let us fix one level with the right schools, Teachers and so on.
But any way that is for another debate; we wish you well as you deliver.

Honourable Lahai Marah, made all the relevant queries about the allocation of the funding, we hope that Honourable Minister, will respond and watch the delivering especially, in the Rural Areas.

We have cases now in our Constituency that are far off.

When contract are given to some entities, they do shabby jobs and they don’t expect anybody to check.
We have those problems now in our Constituencies, that once the loan is given and the contracts are given, they just take up; even the MPs, they don’t want us to visit and see how the delivering is going.

I think our colleague from Koyeima Constituency made that point; about our roles as MPs to inspect some of these projects as they deliver them in our 33 Constituencies.

Well, Education is important; we feel that this loan we will support it.

Thank you.

THE SPEAKER: I thank the Honourable Member.


He has drawn the attention of the House to a very important issue that need to be addressed before the Government can enter into such an agreement.

There should be authorisation by the House.

The moot point is, at what point this authorisation should be given, that is the moot point, the Section itself is vague it does not tell us when; but it is a moot point never the less.

Honourable Leader of the Opposition, you have the Floor.

HON.
HON.

SEGEPOH S. THOMAS DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mr Speaker, I want to refer the House to Section 40 Sub-Section [4].

THE SPEAKER: Yes.

HON.

SEGEPOH S. THOMAS: To be read in tandem with Section 118.

Thank you very much.

THE SPEAKER: Section?

HON.

SEGEPOH S. THOMAS: 40 [4].

HON.

CHERNOR R. M. BAH: It has not been the practice of this House since 1996, but indeed it is a moot point and the practice in other Parliaments seems to vary in the fourth region in Sierra Leone.
But been that it made these has been the practice, but again I agree with the Deputy Speaker that Section 40, cannot be read in isolation, it has to be read in tandem with Section 118, which in itself is very, very instructive.

But we will leave that for another day, because I don’t want to start on that, THE SPEAKER: Let us not open debate on that.

HON.
HON.

CHERNOR R. M. BAH: Yes indeed, a lot has been said this morning on this agreement, and I am sure one of the key reasons is that it touches on a very important pillar in the “New Direction” agenda that is the pillar dealing with Education.
But one thing that has been very, very clear this morning Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, is that the Free Quality Education is in its embryonic stage, but there are still so many 34 challenges which all of us, know we need to work together in addressing before it gets too late.

That has come up very, very clear this morning; that is why I am very surprised.

I hope that we have people from the Ministry of Education in this House today.
Mr Deputy Leader of Government Business [Honourable Bashiru Silikie], I hope we have people here from the Ministry of Education, because we have said time without numbers that when the Ministry of Finance is coming to this House for Loans, Grants or other Agreements to be ratified, the implementing Ministries must accompany the Minister.

Otherwise, we will just be talking to ourselves.


Madam Minister, I hope you are with us, otherwise we will come here one day and send you back; and you know we don’t like to send you back.

HON.

ALUSINE KANNEH: Mr Speaker, sorry I need to interrupt the Man that I love so much, the Opposition Leader.

THE SPEAKER: Yes.

Suspension of SO [5] HON.

CHERNOR R. M. BAH: Mr Speaker, you did not ask whether there is a Counter Motion, I had one, but I am late.
Mr Speaker, again as I was saying, when I listened to the Honourable Member from Bo, and the Honourable Lady from Moyamba, amongst many others including the Honourable Member from Falaba; it is clear that there are several challenges which we as a House as well, should assist in ensuring that the venture in accomplishing the Free Quality Education is achieved.
Because, when it is achieved all of us will benefit, these two agreements should not be politicised, because it touches our children, it touches those we want to represent and will lead us tomorrow.

So politicising these agreements we will be doing injustice, not just to His Excellency the President, but to the very children we want to protect.
Madam Minister, not too long for now some of us will be asking your Ministry not you as a person to assist us with a table of Loan agreements and Grants that are mixed; so that we will be able to follow up with the implementing bodies.

This is because we have ratified quite a few and it is very, very important that we monitor the implementation of these 35 agreements.
We also supported you and that is very clear and you know that for fact, but we don’t want to continue supporting you blindly, you have your good intentions, but the Ministry of Finance is monitoring; you are not responsible for implementing these projects.

So we don’t want you to come and hold up we believe in what you are saying, but then those who are implementing since they are not following up, they go about doing what they want to do.
The Speaker and the Leader of Government Business always remind us about our oversight responsibilities; but this time round we will be going beyond that, because when we ask you for that table, we will pursue the implementers to the letter; so that at the end of the day as representatives of the people, we also have things to say.

I will not repeat all that have been said since this morning, we know there are challenges and getting funding most times is very difficult.
So for those coming from Koyeima, Falaba, Jimmy Bagbo, Krubola or the Lady from Mathora and Haford; I am sure you had them.

But first we will encourage you to ensure that excellent is achieved by the few that will be benefiting from these agreements.

That will encourage Parliament to support the ratification of more loans when you will be looking for funding for those areas otherwise, when you come back, those will be our first questions.
Mr Speaker, before we approve further loans in achieving these objectives, we will want to see the points we have achieved in these particular agreements.

On that note Mr Speaker, I want to join others in endorsing the ratification of these agreements and Madam Minister again; I want to wish you well, but please look forward to the request we will be making very shortly.
Because that is going to take a time between now and end of the year, because maybe by the time we come back in January, we will be dealing with those particular areas.

I thank you very much Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: I thank the Leader of the Opposition, and now the Deputy Leader of Government Business.

HON.

BASHIRU SILIKIE: Thank you very much Mr Speaker.


Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, as I have been said, this is not a controversial agreement, we have listened to the Opposition they have endorsed the agreement so far.

Of course you know, we 36 have challenges in the education sector, even before we took over, our major promise, during the 2018 Elections, was for us to provide Free and Quality Education.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I have said it in this Well, that we have achieved the “Free”; the quality should be achieved by one of us, because “Quality” is a process.

If we are going to achieve the Quality Education; it is the process and the process all of us should be involved in.
Today, I am very pleased for this agreement, because if the Ministry of Basic and Tertiary Education are going to implement their Strategic Plans to the fullest; its means what they have put into paper should come into reality.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, we are now going to have access to better schools, of course, this is a beginning so far, the Ministry of Finance through the Ministry of Education has targeted four Government Secondary Schools in all of the regions.
This is just the beginning and before 2023, going to 2028, we would be able to target all the Districts in this country, this is the beginning.

I am, very happy for the support you have been given to us.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, we cannot achieve Quality Education if we don’t have the right Teachers, if the environment is not conducive, what this Government is trying to do, by going into this agreement is to make sure we improve on the Teachers Training Institutions, like the Bunumbu Teachers College, which used to be one of the colleges that train Teachers.

We are now coming to expand on the infrastructure of the Milton-Margai College of Education and Technology.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, for some of the MPs who said we have not targeted Primary Schools, these colleges are going to change students that are going to graduate that will teach in these Primary Schools.

They are going to teach in these Primary Schools and they are also going to teach in these Secondary Schools, you cannot have the quality, if you don’t have the Trained and Qualified Teachers.
Before 2018, most of our schools in the rural communities used to have untrained and unqualified teachers [Applause].

Today, with the agreement before us, if the Ministry of Education has deemed it fit to empower our Teachers, I think is a good idea.

We will get there and this is the beginning.

Our problem is; if we are now going to get Laboratories Madam Minister, it means we would be having more Science Teachers to 37 be graduated from these schools.
We have a situation in which we don’t have Science Teachers in most of these schools.

We have Science Teachers who don’t know how to use some of these equipments in the labs; because they don’t have the opportunity of using them in the Training Colleges.

Today, we are going to provide equipment, strain more Teachers, and we expect those Teachers to come and develop the various Curriculums in our various schools.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, the Honourable Member from Moyamba was saying we should concentrate on Mathora School.

Of course, Mathora is no exception, but we are craving their indulgence, to be patient with this Government; we are giving 25% of our GDP to Education although it is not enough.

If we are going to have better Quality Education, 21% is not enough.
That is way we have gone for Loans; we will be taking Loans to improve on the Sector, and it is only when we increase on the Education Sector, that the future of this country will be bright.

Is not on roads, when my colleague from Krubola was making his statement that when you go to the Ministry of Defence, they will say they are making roads, though they are doing Free Education.
I remember when I was on that side, I know the former Government used to concentrate on roads and that was exactly what we were saying, but today you are seeing electricity, it is only for the last few days when there is no light and people cried; that means they are now used to it.

If you are not use to electricity, you wouldn’t cry when there is power outage [Laughter].

It is because we have given you 24 hours uninterrupted electricity.
That was why when you did not see the electricity for two days, you cried.

We are going to give you electricity, Free Education is not an excuse for us to perform; we are going to perform.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, my brother from Krubola is now justifying why the people voted them out.

Eleven years in Governance, you are crying that people are walking forty miles to access a health centre.

I want to assure you with this Government in 2023, that will be something of the past.
In 2023, it will be something of the past, we are going to work for you; we are going to be part of the process [Applause].
38 Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, to the Members of Parliament in various Constituencies where these projects are going to be implemented, we please want you to provide your individual oversights and I am challenging the Committee on Education, both Primary and Tertiary Education to please provide the necessary oversights, because if all of these monies come, if we give these monies to contractors and they don’t perform or they perform so poorly, it means the people of Sierra Leone are going to suffer.
So I want to challenge our various Committees here, to please work with the Ministry of Education, please don’t wait for them to call you.
Of-course, we know Government in and out when they want to do most of their operations, they don’t want Parliament to be involve, so please don’t wait for them to call you, meet them, ask them questions and do follow ups on all of these projects, because it is only when we do follow ups and when we make sure the projects that are being given, have value for money; it is only with that, that our people will be proud and the people will vote us again.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, these Agreements are not contentious, I want to thank everybody, I want to thank the Opposition for also supporting those Agreement; I want to thank the Members of Parliament on this side, this should be the spirit when documents come here, when they are good, we say they are good and bring out the challenges, nobody will challenge it; bring them out and we will make the Minister to understand.
Madam Minister, you have listened to the Members of Parliament, you have listened to their concerns.

Please make sure you relay the messages to your Ministry and by extension the Ministry of Education.
Of course, we have said here before that when we are dealing with Agreements, the line Ministries that would have to implement, we expect them to be here and listen to the representatives of the people; we cannot just be speaking to you, you are signing these Agreements on behalf of them, they will have to implement.

So in future please, if you are bringing a document here that talks about Agriculture, please make sure the Agriculture Ministry is here.
If you are presenting document about Trade, the Trade Ministry should be here, so they listen to the voice of 39 the people and at the end of the day, the Members of Parliament should do their oversights.

Thank you very much Honourable Members.

THE SPEAKER: Madam Deputy Minister.


DR PATRICIA N. LAVERLEY: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, this project is about the future of this country, this project is about the next generation, it is about training better Lawyers, better Doctors, better Accountants, it is about the Next Generation of Parliament.
Mr Speaker, you may recall that colleagues from the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education and Technical and Higher were here on Thursday for the laying of the documents, but we were made to understand that because of the fire incident at Mokonde, they are in an emergency meeting trying to sort out the fire issue.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, let me just try to respond to some of your questions.
We do take note of the facts that yes, the Ministries to implement these projects and of course, your views need to be taken into consideration as they are going to implement the projects that have been ratified this morning.

Let me respond to the statement on the Trade centre at Magburaka.
The Trade Centre at Magburaka has already been rehabilitated; we actually do have another project with the World Bank that focuses on Primary Education and most of the issues that are raised on Primary Education would be addressed by the World Bank Project, which will be brought to this Noble House next week.
We have also included in this subsequent project has in addition to the World Bank project, that is the second batch of the project been designed for the Mathora Girls Secondary School, the Koyeima Boys Secondary School will be part of the third project that we will bring to this Noble House.

So we have two other projects that we will bring on Primary Schools and Schools that have not been covered under this project at the Secondary School Education level.
The statement on cost and the cost of the International Fund and the cost for the Salaries for the Project Coordinator.

Now what we intend to do under this project is to recruit an International Consulting Firm; giving the complexity of this project; so many different sites, so many different issues, so we are actually bringing in an International Consulting Firm, hence the cost is based on International Standards.
40 Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, for the Kono University, this Project is also a Pro- Ratification.

I think it is the second or third project that will be brought under this Sector; it is $34 Mln under EBID and it will be brought to this Noble House, hopefully next month in November.

The recruitment of Inspectors of Schools is currently on- going, we do realize that Inspectors of Schools are desperately needed for making so many investments in schools; we do need to strengthening oversights.
Yes, we do welcome Members of Parliament to join us to strengthen the oversight functions of these Schools.

Of course, Inspector of Schools will also now have M&D Officers, recruited under the National Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate and there are also monitoring the works and the activities to strengthen the oversight functions under the FQE [Free Quality Education] program.
Mr Speaker, the statement on inclusive participation by Parliament; at the project preparation phase we can engage Parliament; we are open to further discussions on the provisions in the Constitution and how we can jointly collaborate on improving the project designed for future projects.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, be it resolved that this Honourable House ratifies the following Agreements which were laid on the Table of this House on Thursday 20th October, 2020.
[i] Loan Agreement between the Republic of Sierra Leone and the OPEC Fund for International Development, dated 19th October, 2019; and [ii] The Loan Agreement between the Republic of Sierra Leone and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa [BADEA]; dated 17th November, 2019.

I thank you.

THE SPEAKER: I thank the Honourable Deputy Minister of Finance.
Honourable Members, the question is that this Honourable House ratifies the following Agreements, which were laid on the Table of the House on Thursday, 20th of October, 2020.

1.

Loan Agreement between the Republic of Sierra Leone and the OPEC fund for International Development OFID dated 19th October, 2019 and 2.

Loan agreement between the 41 Republic of Sierra Leone and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa [BADEA] dated 17th November.
[Question Proposed, Put and Agreed to] [Government Motion by the Minister of Finance has been ratified].

THE SPEAKER: Madam Minister, thank you very much again for your very brilliant contribution.

THE SPEAKER: Yes, any announcement?

ADJOURNMENT [The House rose at 12: 25 pm and was adjourned to Tuesday 3rd November, 2020 and at 10:00 am.]

42