By Mohamed Konneh
The Education for All-Sierra Leone Coalition on Thursday 30th April 2026 sworn in newly elected board members who took the oath of office marking the start of a new era for the coalition. The new board after taking oath of office, pledge to strengthen the advocacy for an inclusive, and quality education across the country. The ceremony took place at the coalition Office 8 Robert Street in Freetown.
The swearing-in ceremony of board members and first quarter meeting of the Education for All Coalition Sierra Leone was the first since the elections in 2025.
The event brought together civil society organizations, education stakeholders, and development partners, all reaffirming their commitment to advancing the right to free, quality education for every child in Sierra Leone.
In his statement, the newly elected Board Chairperson of EFA-SL John Tengeh Fella was clear on the role of the coalition while adding that the coalition will deepen its oversight role and push for greater accountability in education service delivery.
“This new board brings diverse expertise from across the regions. Our expertise is to guide the secretariat advocacy, monitor government commitments, and ensure education funding reaches the classroom,’’ the Board Chairman said.
Joseph Cobina is the National Coordinator of EFA-SL and was quick to point out the task ahead and where the coalition is coming from.
Mr. Cobina noted that the coalition continue to be stronger by holding elections to elect new board members, while also lending it voice on national issues for the furtherance of education in the country.
‘’EFA-SL is a network consist of members from across the country. The new board is not coming into an empty space as we have supportive partners both locally and internationally. You are taking this oath not just as a formality, but as a promise to the children of Sierra Leone. Our focus will be on inclusive education, budget tracking, and making sure no child is left behind,’’ he said.
The representative of the Sierra Leone Teachers Union (SLTU), Mohamed Bangura while making his statement said Government alone cannot deliver quality education.
‘’We value the partnership with EFA-SL and we look forward to working with the new board to improve learning outcomes.”
Mr. Bangura noted that that swearing-in ceremony for the new EFA-SL board comes as Sierra Leone continues to push reforms in the education sector under the Free Quality School Education program.
The newly sworn-in board members had their first inaugural meeting geared towards pushing the work of the secretariat forward.
The new board was elected on December 20th 2025 with John Sahr Tengbeh Fellah emerging as the new board chair for a three-year term. The election of the new board which took place at the hotel 5/10 in Freetown also saw Tamba Wurie elected Vice Chairman in a peaceful, transparent at the coalition Annual General Meeting 2025.
