By Mahmud Tim Kargbo
Friday, 20 February 2026
On a humid morning in Freetown, the bell at a government secondary school cuts through the noise of pupils packed into a classroom built for half their number. Exercise books are shared. Desks are worn thin. A fading poster reads Free Quality School Education. For many in the room, it is not a slogan but an opening.
Nearly eight years ago, hundreds of thousands of children like them were outside the formal school system.
The Free Quality School Education initiative, launched in 2018 under President Julius Maada Bio, marked a decisive political commitment to expand access to schooling nationwide. Tuition fees at government approved primary and secondary schools were abolished, textbooks distributed and examination fees absorbed by the state. The ambition was clear. Education would no longer be determined primarily by household income.
Translating that political pledge into administrative reality required more than rhetoric. It required systems, oversight and sustained coordination. At the centre of that process was Dr David Moinina Sengeh, first as Head of Innovation, then as Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, and now as Chief Minister.
His career in public service has unfolded across these distinct but connected roles. As Head of Innovation, he advocated for the application of data and technology to public administration, promoting transparency and digital solutions within government. As Education Minister, he oversaw the implementation of one of the most expansive social programmes in Sierra Leone’s post war history. As Chief Minister, he now coordinates performance across ministries, with responsibility for aligning policy ambition with institutional delivery.
The scale of reform has been significant. Enrolment increased sharply following the introduction of Free Quality School Education. Education spending rose to become one of the largest components of national expenditure. According to data reflected in international governance and public finance assessments, Sierra Leone’s allocation to education increased markedly after 2018.
Expansion, however, came with strain. Larger enrolment meant additional teachers, infrastructure demands and sustained recurrent costs. At a time of fiscal pressure and global economic volatility, the government faced a dual imperative. It had to preserve social trust while maintaining macroeconomic discipline.
Dr Sengeh’s response focused on governance architecture. Digital attendance systems were introduced to identify payroll irregularities and reduce the incidence of ghost teachers. Public dashboards made school level data accessible. Monitoring mechanisms linked performance to oversight. Sierra Leone’s engagement with open governance frameworks reinforced this approach.
Supporters argue that these measures represent a departure from opaque administrative traditions. “Publishing education data was politically risky,” said a senior civil servant. “It exposed weaknesses, including ghost teachers and absenteeism. But it also created pressure for improvement.”
Critics caution that transparency tools do not automatically produce stronger learning outcomes. A representative from a local education advocacy organisation notes that classroom congestion remains acute and teacher training uneven. “Access has improved,” she said. “But quality is still inconsistent. Enrolment expansion must be matched by deeper investment in teaching standards and infrastructure.”
Regional learning assessments continue to show literacy and numeracy gaps across West Africa. Sierra Leone has reported incremental improvement, yet independent verification and sustained progress will determine whether gains are durable.
This tension between expansion and consolidation reflects a broader balancing act. Political authority creates mandate. Governance imposes discipline. Service determines whether reform is felt at household level.
Dr Sengeh’s leadership style extends beyond policy design. Through regular public engagement and digital communication, including his Chief’s Diary, he has cultivated a visible channel between the executive and citizens. Complaints about salary delays, procurement issues or infrastructure gaps are often addressed directly and publicly.
For supporters, this visibility reinforces accountability and responsiveness. For sceptics, it raises structural questions. An opposition parliamentarian argues that institutional resilience must not depend on individual accessibility. “Engagement is welcome,” he said. “But systems, not personalities, must carry delivery.”
The durability of reform depends on institutionalisation. Payroll audits, performance dashboards and inter-ministerial coordination must endure beyond any single tenure. Sierra Leone’s governance indicators show gradual improvements in certain measures of effectiveness, yet corruption perception challenges remain. Strengthening systems rather than centralising authority remains the long term test.
His emphasis on inclusivity is frequently cited. He has consistently advocated opportunities for Sierra Leoneans irrespective of tribe, region or political affiliation. Young professionals across public and civic sectors describe pathways opened through merit based recruitment and mentorship. Whether these practices become entrenched administrative norms will shape their lasting impact.
Inclusive leadership, however, operates within a politically competitive environment. Sierra Leone remains deeply polarised. Reform must coexist with electoral realities and coalition management. Balancing national interest with political survival requires negotiation as well as conviction.
“When we design policy, we must measure it,” Dr Sengeh said in a recent interview. “If we cannot measure it, we cannot improve it. And if we cannot improve it, we are not truly serving people.”
That philosophy captures the core of his approach. Political mandate enables ambition. Governance mechanisms constrain and refine it. Service provides the ethical anchor.
In a classroom in Freetown, the human consequence of that balance is visible. “Before this programme, my daughter would have stayed home,” said Mariama Kamara, a market trader. “Now she wants to become a nurse.”
Her daughter’s presence represents a budget allocation, an administrative decision and a political choice. It also represents a lived outcome.
Dr David Moinina Sengeh’s record does not eliminate contradiction. It operates within it. The alignment of politics, governance and service remains a continuing exercise rather than a completed achievement. Its sustainability will depend on fiscal discipline, institutional continuity and bipartisan commitment.
In Sierra Leone’s classrooms and ministries alike, that equilibrium is being tested daily. The results are still unfolding. The balance, for now, holds.
References
MIT Media Lab, David Moinina Sengeh profile
https://www.media.mit.edu/people/dsengeh/overview
Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Sierra Leone
https://mbsse.gov.sl
Government of Sierra Leone, State House official website
World Bank, Worldwide Governance Indicators
https://info.worldbank.org/governance/wgi
World Bank, World Development Report 2018
https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/wdr2018
Transparency International, Corruption Perceptions Index
https://www.transparency.org/en/cpi
International Monetary Fund, Sierra Leone country reports
https://www.imf.org/en/Countries/SLE
Open Government Partnership
https://www.opengovpartnership.org