By Senior Editor,China Africa News
FREETOWN, Sierra Leone , January 28, 2026 — A landmark vocational training initiative took centre stage in Sierra Leone’s capital yesterday as China Railway Seventh Group Co., Ltd. (CRSG), in partnership with Zhengzhou Railway Technician College and Freetown Polytechnic, officially inaugurated the Excellence Skills Academy in Freetown. The ceremony, held on January 27, was attended by key dignitaries including Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone Zhao Yong and President Julius Maada Bio, underscoring a growing educational and economic collaboration between China and Sierra Leone.
The academy launch represents a major step in enhancing vocational and technical skills training for Sierra Leonean youth. Designed to equip young people with practical, industry-relevant competencies, the programme aims to bridge the gap between classroom learning and employment-market needs. In his remarks, President Bio highlighted the timely nature of the initiative and its alignment with the government’s human capital priorities.
President Bio described the programme as “a navigation tool for development,” stressing that its focus on hands-on skills will help generate employment opportunities for graduates, particularly with CRSG and other industry partners. “The skills acquired through this programme will enable trainees to secure employment,” he said, adding that the initiative directly supports Sierra Leone’s shift from theory-based education toward practical competence.
Chinese Ambassador Zhao Yong praised the collaborative effort that brought the academy to fruition, noting that the Excellence Skills Academy translates shared visions into concrete realities. He said the project aligns closely with Sierra Leone’s youth development agenda and serves as a boost to bilateral cooperation. Ambassador Zhao also underscored that 2026 marks the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Sierra Leone, a milestone year for deepening people-to-people exchanges and educational ties.
Voices from the ground further highlighted the academy’s potential impact. Samba Moriba, principal of Freetown Polytechnic, described the project as a shared commitment to developing technical and human capacity. “This initiative will promote skills training among our learners and present skilled opportunities, enabling them to contribute positively to society,” he said. Meanwhile, Du Xinguo, CRSG’s General Manager, confirmed that trainees who complete the programme successfully will be offered job placements linking skills acquisition directly with workforce integration.
The Excellence Skills Academy is part of a broader pattern of China’s engagement in Sierra Leone, which includes infrastructure development, educational cooperation, and business investment. Over recent years, Chinese enterprises and state actors have supported projects ranging from foreign service training institutes to chambers of commerce, contributing to enhanced bilateral ties and economic opportunities.
As Sierra Leone continues to prioritise human capital development and employment creation, the vocational academy is expected to serve as a catalyst for skills empowerment and deeper China-Sierra Leone collaboration in technical education cementing a partnership built on mutual development goals.
