Sierra Leone – The Chairman of the National Council for Civic Education and Democracy (NaCCED), Mr. Joseph Munda Bindi, led a high-level delegation to a strategic meeting with the European Union (EU) Delegation in Sierra Leone. The meeting held at the EU’s Leicester Peak office in Regent, Freetown, was convened with the primary objective of strengthening the existing partnership and exploring new avenues for collaboration and support.
The EU delegation, welcoming Chairman Bindi and his team, was led by key programme managers who underscored the fundamental importance of civic education. Mr. Philippe Mauran, Programme Manager for Budget Support and Public Financial Management, opened the discussions by affirming that civic education is a cornerstone of sustainable national development. He revealed that he had thoroughly reviewed NaCCED’s digital presence and operational portfolio, leading him to acknowledge the Council’s substantial contributions to Sierra Leone’s development landscape.
Mr. Mauran specifically commended NaCCED for its innovative work in demystifying public finance, notably through the simplification of the national budget into a “Citizens Budget.” He emphasized that this initiative is a critical tool for enhancing governmental accountability and fostering a culture of transparency, as it empowers ordinary citizens to understand and engage with the nation’s fiscal policies.
Echoing these sentiments, Mr. Enrico Sborgi, Programme Manager for Governance and Civil Society, elaborated on the EU’s long-standing view of NaCCED as a pivotal institution. He reflected on the Council’s crucial role in ensuring a peaceful and informed electoral process during the 2023 elections. Mr. Sborgi stated that promoting civic education represents a central pillar of the EU’s broader cooperation framework with African nations, and he confirmed the EU’s clear awareness of NaCCED’s vital mandate to sensitize citizens on their rights and responsibilities. While expressing strong interest, Mr. Sborgi noted that the EU would be pleased to consider a deeper, formalized partnership with NaCCED in the future, contingent upon the availability of designated resources.
In his comprehensive presentation, Chairman Joseph Munda Bindi expressed profound gratitude to the EU delegation for the opportunity to engage in substantive dialogue on issues central to Sierra Leone’s progress. He articulated that the meeting was a strategic step to forge a stronger, more effective collaboration with one of the nation’s key international partners.
To illustrate NaCCED’s capacity and track record, Chairman Bindi provided a detailed overview of the Council’s extensive operations since its establishment. He highlighted a wide array of implemented civic initiatives, including leading citizen engagement and awareness campaigns on the national budget through the “Citizens Budget” initiative, executing nationwide awareness-raising campaigns for elections and the midterm census, spearheading public sensitization during the COVID-19 pandemic to promote preventive measures successfully advocating for the reintroduction of Civics as a stand-alone subject in the national school curriculum, implementing various youth-focused initiatives to foster a sense of civic duty, Coordinating Sierra Leone’s activities under the global Open Government Partnership (OGP) and engaging with traffic management institutions to improve compliance with regulations and ensure road safety among others.
Chairman Bindi further detailed ambitious plans for the future. He explained that NaCCED has already developed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and guidelines for establishing Civic Clubs in schools across the nation. This initiative is designed to complement the formal curriculum by helping students imbibe the culture, skills, and knowledge necessary for responsible citizenship and peaceful coexistence.
Looking beyond the classroom, Chairman Bindi revealed plans to extend civic education to private schools to ensure all young citizens become civic-minded from an early stage. Furthermore, he outlined a grassroots strategy to work directly with community leaders to formulate localized bylaws. He argued that such community-owned regulations are often more effective than top-down directives in ensuring that people are not only civic-minded but also adhere to law and order, thereby strengthening the social fabric at the most fundamental level.
In conclusion, Chairman Bindi positioned NaCCED as an essential partner for the government’s “Big Five Changers” agenda, committed to working with various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to ensure accountability and effective governance through initiatives like the Open Government Partnership. The meeting concluded on a mutually positive note, with both institutions expressing a firm commitment to continuing dialogue and translating this engagement into a concrete, impactful partnership for the benefit of all Sierra Leoneans.
