By Sorie Rahman Sesay
On the 14th November, 2024, Social Enterprise Development (SEND) Sierra Leone in collaboration with Green Solar Africa (GSA) hold a validation Ceremony of solar installation and maintenance curriculum for 200 girls at Allieu Swaray Deen Hall, NCTVA.
Augusta Nyamba, the project manager of SEND SL started by giving a brief introduction of SEND SL to members present. She said SEND is a non-governmental organization that operates in five districts in the country with its head office in Kenema. SEND targets key areas in their operations such as gender, climate change, education projects, livelihood programs and solar energy. SEND works with many organizations both private and government. One of their donor partners is UNDP. Nyambe said SEND set to training 200 girls on how to install and maintain solar electricity. This training is under one of their projects —the Shine Project. She continued by saying that the training will not only certify them for participation but also for job hunting. This is in the notice of NCTVA and the Ministry of Technical and higher education (MTHE). These are technical institutions that have the mandate to accredit a valid qualification to such program. Augusta said “the main goal of this training is to build the capacity of 200 young women across Sierra Leone who have completed STEM studies by providing training in green energy solutions, specifically solar energy. The initiative seeks to certify them as solar practitioners, enabling them to participate in the renewable energy sector and contribute to gender equality.”
The project director of Green Solar Africa, Ing. Dr. Maurice Sesay, in highlighting the role of his organization said that GSA is a solar provider for the country. They provide solar energy for government installations, private institutions and homes of ordinary citizens. Their role in this project is to train these girls in a way that they will be able to empower themselves. This is to prevent the prevailing situation that is eating the lives of our graduates wherein they will have to wait for a long time to be employed. Maurice said that this would be achieved by a curriculum that has been written and to be validated by NCTVA and MTHE. “The training will involve girls form different districts and in three training centres which are Freetown polytechnic, and the Eastern Technical University at Kenema. All necessary equipment have been provided. In Sierra Leone only six percent of the population are able to make use of solar energy,” he lamented. Different types of installations will be looked at such as single-phase installation, three phase installation, etc. He continued to say that they will not only be trained to install but also to maintain the solar energy. The training will not be fully implemented if they are not taught about maintenance. Each centre will have a period of two weeks to carry out this training. It will include both theory and practical. In his analysis, he said after the training participants will be assessed by NCTVA.
The assessment officer of the National Council for Technical, Vocational and other Academic Awards (NCTVA), Kain John Maada Andrew Stevens started by applauding the effort of GOA and SEND. He assured the public that after the training, participants will be accredited by qualified personalities. NCTVA will also provide an observation team that will oversee the process of training and examination. He said participants will not need any other form of training again after they undergo this short-term course. Micro credentials are one of the fastest growing forms of learning presently. Most of the times institutions are not giving what employers want — it is also one of the reasons for the high rate of employment. To solve this issue institutions should be embarking on practical based programs. Private and government institutions have been involved in setting the curriculum and the review. The representative of NCTVA stated that private and government institutions will also be involved in the assessment process. “The facilitators have already undergone the training of trainers,” he continued. The trainees will have to interface with equipment that will be used in empowering these girls in order for them to master their craft.
The representative of the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education, Augustine Allie, said that the initiative is recognized by MTHE and participants that will undergo this training will not face any sort of embarrassment in the corporate world. He said most times when organizations set up trainings, they do not pass through the MTHE; therefore, in a long run these personalities will lose credibility and significance. He ended by thanking every player present at validation ceremony.
