Through this partnership with the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) and the National School Feeding Secretariat (NSFS), more than 80 staff will receive training and technical support to strengthen programme monitoring, reporting and data use. The initiative will contribute to a more effective and accountable National School Feeding Programme, benefiting over one million children across Sierra Leone.
"The Government appreciates this critical support from the European Union which marks an important step towards strengthening Sierra Leone's National School Feeding Programme," said Conrad Sackey, Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education. "Reliable data and evidence are essential for improving programme quality, accountability and impact, ensuring that we deliver better outcomes for children and communities we serve."
WFP's National School Feeding Programme currently provides nutritious daily meals to 250,000 schoolchildren across five districts while creating reliable market opportunities for 22,000 local farmers through a home-grown school feeding approach. As the programme continues to expand, the need for timely, reliable and accessible data has become increasingly important. However, existing monitoring systems, which rely heavily on manual processes and fragmented data collection mechanisms, can make it challenging to generate the real-time information needed for effective programme management and decision-making.
"Strong monitoring systems are essential to ensuring the effectiveness and sustainability of school feeding programmes," said Jacek Jankowski, Ambassador of the European Union to Sierra Leone. "Through this initiative, the European Union is supporting stronger accountability, data-driven decision-making and greater programme impact, helping improve outcomes for children across Sierra Leone."
This new partnership builds on the long-standing collaboration between WFP and the European Union in support of school feeding in Sierra Leone. Over the years, this support has helped improve access to nutritious meals for thousands of children while creating economic opportunities for local farmers. The initiative will introduce innovative digital tools, including Open Data Kit (ODK) and School Connect, to improve the collection, management and use of school feeding data. This will equip education authorities with more timely information to oversee the programme and make evidence-based decisions.
"Strong data systems are essential for effective programme delivery," explained Andrew Odero, WFP Representative and Country Director. "This investment will help strengthen national capacity for monitoring, accountability and evidence-based decision-making, ensuring the National School Feeding Programme is better positioned to serve children across Sierra Leone."
This initiative supports Sierra Leone's National School Feeding Policy and Medium-Term National Development Plan 2024-2030, as well as the European Union's Multiannual Indicative Programme for Sierra Leone 2021-2027, supporting national priorities for quality education, stronger governance and more effective public service delivery.
