By Sulaiman Jalloh

In a move to improve technical and vocational learning in Sierra Leone, the National Council for Technical and Other Academic Awards (NCTVA), through the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education, on Thursday, December 28th, 2023, accredited the Bread Avenue located at Wellington, East Freetown. Bread Avenue is owned and operated by Sonoco Sierra Leone.

Delivering his welcome remarks, Mark Pritchard, the General Manager of Sonoco Sierra Leone said the programs that will be offered will run for six months, constituting thirty-eight hours, and that at the end of the training, his company will provide seed capital to students as start-up after graduation, noting that they are targeting ninety students as initial intake and that they will receive certificate and diplomas in baking, pastry, among others, adding the courses will be free but with at least high school graduates and people of good character.

The General Manager said that Sonoco is ready to deliver the best services to their customers and students. According to him, before the first quarter of 2024 ends, they will have two more Bread Avenues, one he said will be located at West Freetown and the other around Central Freetown.

Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Dr. Haja Ramatulai Wurrie, who delivered the keynote address, said the government is committed to supporting vocational training. According to her, the government cannot absorb every young person, so developing entrepreneurship is crucial in providing job opportunities for young Sierra Leoneans.

According to the Minister, the government is committed to providing five hundred thousand jobs, noting every year they are targeting one hundred thousand jobs for the next five years and it is a collective responsibility as Sonoco Sierra Leone is an example, adding the skills provided will allow young Sierra Leoneans to compete in the global job market and change the narrative of Sierra Leone.  She added that the accreditation to Bread Avenue will help solve several challenges and improve socio-economic development and entrepreneurship in the country.

Madam Wurrie noted that the government is mindful of the importance of vocational training, adding that the certification and accreditation of Bread Avenue serves as a milestone achievement.

Speaking from the technical angle, the Director of TVET at the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education, Abu Bakar Senesie said Sonoco is complementing the effort of the government in terms of providing job opportunities for the young folks, nothing over the years, the government of President Bio has been looking for a dual system of learning and that the Bread Avenue is one of the instructions they can collaborate with to enhance technical learning in the country, emphasizing that Sonoco Sierra Leone has the capacity.

For his part, the NCTVA chairman, Prof. A. B. Karim, who gave the overview process of accreditation, noted that accreditation is to legitimize the operations of an institution to offer certain programs at a given period, and that accreditation, according to him, requires three top academics of an educational institution and three top management. He added that, before an institution is given accreditation, the NCTVA management normally visits and supervises the environment of the institution to ensure it meets the basic standards.

Cynthia Isatu Gbla, a student of Bread Avenue, gave the vote of thanks and expressed gratitude to the management and staff of the institution and government for making the program a success. She said the knowledge gained will elevate their lives and promote the government agenda in providing the said 500,000 jobs.

Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, January 1st, 2023 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)