Freetown Polytechnic Opens Second Learning Centre, Launches Finder Programme
Freetown Polytechnic has opened its second Community Learning Centre at its Jui Campus alongside the launch of the Finder Programme, an initiative aimed at equipping young Sierra Leoneans with technical and artificial intelligence (AI) skills to develop solutions to community challenges.
The centre was officially launched on Tuesday, November 10, by Chief Minister Dr David Moinina Sengeh, in partnership with Agilix Labs and the Future Learning Institute (FLI). It follows the opening of the first centre in Kono District in March 2026.
Minister of Technical and Higher Education Dr Haja Ramatulai Wurie announced that funding had also been secured for eight additional centres, as the government seeks to expand the initiative to more communities.
The year-long Finder Programme targets young people who qualified for university but could not secure admission, particularly young women, students with disabilities and those from rural communities and low-income families. Participants will combine AI, technical skills and local knowledge to develop practical solutions to challenges identified by traders, farmers, teachers, businesses and community groups.
Labs also announced that it had secured support through the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Education Equity Initiative to provide AI and cloud technology for the programme. Learners will use Amazon Bedrock for AI-related projects, while lessons will be delivered through the Agilix Dawn learning platform.
Wurie said the initiative builds on a partnership with Agilix Labs established through a Memorandum of Understanding in May 2025. The programme is part of the Ministry’s efforts to connect education with industry, expand skills development and create employment opportunities for young people.
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