MTHE, CoL. Validate National Micro-Credentials Framework

The Ministry of Technical and Higher Education (MTHE), in partnership with the Commonwealth of Learning (CoL), has on February 19, 2026 successfully validated Sierra Leone’s National Micro-Credentials Framework. This policy instrument establishes a structured system for flexible, competency-based qualifications aligned with industry demands.

Deputy Chief Technical and Higher Education Officer, Sia Fasuluku, delivered opening remarks tracing the framework’s origins to regional Commonwealth engagements on modernizing education delivery. She emphasized that traditional degree programmes, while valuable, no longer fully address rapidly evolving labour market requirements.

“Learners need flexible options to acquire employable skills within months and progressively build toward higher qualifications,” Fasuluku explained.

She disclosed a significant achievement: among 56 Commonwealth member states, six countries were selected to pilot micro-credential frameworks. Sierra Leone stands as the first among them to develop a national framework.

The validation workshop represented a crucial milestone, reviewing detailed framework provisions and confirming stakeholder consensus reached during December consultations. Fasuluku confirmed the Civil Service Training College would serve as a pilot institution, particularly as it transitions toward becoming a public service academy linked with universities and national training systems.

Representing the Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Chief Technical and Higher Education Officer Dr. Josephus Brimah described micro-credentials as fundamental building blocks transforming education delivery. The framework, he explained, standardizes short courses already operating across institutions while aligning them with national qualification systems.

“This framework introduces flexibility across academic and technical education pathways,” Dr. Brimah stated. “Learners can now accumulate certified competencies over time.”

He highlighted the framework’s relevance for reskilling, upskilling, continuous professional development, and lifelong learning critical responses to evolving labour market demands.

Acting Administrator of the Tertiary Education Commission, Idrissa Sannoh, reinforced this vision. He described micro-credentials as short, competency-based certifications complementing traditional degrees while responding directly to industry needs. The Commission, he affirmed, stands ready to integrate micro-credentials into national qualification structures, strengthen quality assurance systems, and foster institutional partnerships ensuring effective implementation.

Deputy Accreditation Officer of the National Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (NCTVE), Komba Moiwa, emphasized the framework’s structural significance. It provides systematic mechanisms for designing, assessing, validating, and recognizing short-term skills programmes.

Moiwa noted the framework’s potential to widen access for individuals who missed formal education while enhancing employability through competency-based training, workplace assessments, and industry validation mechanisms.

Commissioner of the National Youth Commission, Joseph Lahai, positioned the initiative as a critical youth empowerment intervention. With young people constituting approximately 65 percent of Sierra Leone’s population, the framework creates inclusive pathways recognizing skills gained through apprenticeships, short courses, or informal learning.

“This aligns our country with global best practices in workforce development,” Lahai emphasized.

Vice President 2 of the Sierra Leone Chamber of Commerce, Eldeen Elba, commended the Ministry’s inclusive consultation process. Micro-credentials, she argued, would promote agile skills development, strengthen industry alignment, and improve productivity through targeted, workplace-relevant training. She called for sustained collaboration, awareness campaigns, and incentives encouraging private sector participation.

Director General of the Sierra Leone Local Content Agency, Fodeba Daboh, described the framework as transformative. “This ensures Sierra Leoneans gain verifiable skills and greater access to employment opportunities,” Daboh stated. He added that the framework would support technology transfer by ensuring foreign expertise systematically transfers to local professionals through structured training.

From a social inclusion standpoint, Office of the Presidential Adviser on Social Inclusion Liaison Officer Maseray Brima praised the Ministry for integrating persons with disabilities into the framework’s design process. She urged stakeholders to ensure accessibility through braille documentation, soft-copy formats, and sign-language interpretation guaranteeing equitable participation.

The validation session featured a technical presentation by Dr. Victor Massaquoi, Principal of the Civil Service Training College, who guided participants through the framework’s structure. Stakeholders scrutinized provisions and proposed refinements ahead of full implementation.

Director of Higher Education at MTHE, Emmanuel J. Momoh, highlighted the framework’s alignment with national education objectives. He noted its role expanding access to practical, hands-on training alongside university education.

Momoh formally declared the document reviewed, authenticated, and validated as a legally binding national instrument, marking a significant milestone in Sierra Leone’s education transformation journey.