By Aminata Turay
Sierra Leone’s Vice President Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, donated digital school kits to Modern Elementary and St. Joseph’s Primary Schools in Freetown.
The initiative, implemented in partnership with the Orange Foundation, supports the government’s Free Quality Education agenda and its push to integrate digital learning into early childhood education.
VP Juldeh Jalloh described the gesture as a celebration of excellence and reaffirmed that investing in education remains central to national development.
Addressing the pupils and teachers, the Vice President praised the schools’ leadership and staff for their dedication to shaping young minds. He said his choice of the two schools was influenced by their remarkable progress and commitment to academic growth.
“As a government, we believe that education is the pathway to development. If you invest in human capital, you put your people on a prosperous path,” he emphasized. He also commended the partnership with Orange for supporting 39 schools nationwide and promised continued government investment in digital learning infrastructure.
In a lighthearted moment, the Vice President presented iPads to the two best-performing pupils in each school, encouraging them to use the devices responsibly. “No TikTok on those iPads,” he joked, drawing laughter from pupils and teachers.
He assured the schools of his ongoing support and pledged to return next year with more initiatives to promote academic excellence and digital inclusion.
Education Minister Conrad Sackey described the event as “a decisive step toward reshaping the future of education,” noting that technology has become “the currency of progress, innovation, and opportunity.”
Orange Foundation’s Director General, Annie Wonnie-Katta, said the digital kits—comprising tablets, laptops, projectors, and solar-powered servers preloaded with learning materials—reflect Orange’s vision to bridge the digital divide and empower learners nationwide.
Both schools expressed deep gratitude, with proprietress of Modern Elementary Primary School, Mrs Ellen Keili calling the donation a “timely 30th anniversary and Christmas gift,” and pupil Isata Bangura promising on behalf of her classmates to use the devices to learn and achieve better results.
