By Alusine Sesay
Freetown, August 18, 2025: A newly published report by the World Bank reveals that Sierra Leone’s Performance-Based Financing (PBF) initiative, under the Free Education Project, has led to measurable improvements in primary education across the country, although regional disparities and equity concerns persist.
Authored by Afra Rahman Chowdhury and Md. Mokhlesur Rahman, the report titled ‘Impact of Performance Based Financing (PBF) on Sierra Leone’s Primary Education: A Descriptive Analysis 2025’, evaluates data from 5,074 schools over two years (2022–2024). The PBF program links school funding to performance indicators such as attendance, management practices, and resource distribution.
Key Gains in Enrollment and Attendance
Student attendance rose by 2.2%, translating to over 30,000 additional children regularly attending school. Enrollment in PBF-supported schools surged by 17.5%. However, analysts caution that these gains also reflect the broader impact of Sierra Leone’s tuition-free education policy introduced in 2018, making it difficult to isolate the effect of PBF alone.
Teacher Engagement and Resources
Teacher attendance improved modestly by 1.5 percentage points, with 468 more teachers present during school hours. More notably, active teaching increased by 3.6 percentage points, equating to 1,095 additional teachers engaged in instruction. Access to textbooks soared, with 95% of students having books during lessons—up from 71%.
School Management and Environment
The report highlights significant improvements in school governance: Financial record-keeping rose by 17%; school Investment Plans (SIPs) increased by 3.3%; staff performance meetings grew by 9%; school Management Committee meetings per term rose by 3.5 percentage points; and 8% more schools installed signposts with their names.
Equity and Regional Disparities
While the PBF program included equity indicators to support marginalized schools, results were mixed. Schools in the North-Western and Western regions showed the most progress, whereas Southern region schools saw minimal or even negative impact.
Learning Outcomes and Implementation Challenges
The report refrained from analyzing student learning outcomes due to unreliable data. It recommends using AI-based grading systems to reduce bias and improve accuracy. Coordination issues and delays in grant disbursement were also flagged as barriers to effective implementation.
Lessons and Recommendations
To sustain and scale the program’s impact, the authors emphasize: Strengthening in-house grant calculations; continuous capacity building for school leaders and committees; adjusting performance targets to reflect realistic learning goals; and developing targeted strategies to address inequality and regional gaps.