By Alvin Lansana Kargbo
Her Excellency Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone, has officially inaugurated Olive B. Academy, an all-girls boarding school located on Olive B. Drive in Kerry Town, Western Rural District, during a ceremony on Monday, 16 September 2025. The event was attended by senior Government officials, education stakeholders, community leaders and the school’s first cohort of pupils, marking what many described as a milestone in the country’s drive to expand quality education for girls.
Co-founder, Olive Favor Baimba, welcomed guests and explained that the establishment of Olive B. Academy represents the first step in a broader vision to affirm and develop Sierra Leonean talent. She described the school as occupying 15 acres of fenced land, with additional space beyond the perimeter to allow for future growth and said it was deliberately designed to provide a serene and modern learning environment. Olive Favor Baimba outlined the facilities, which include 18 fully furnished classrooms, science laboratories, a design and technology laboratory, a robotics laboratory, a computer science hall and a smart room equipped for virtual instruction and mentoring.
She said every pupil will receive a personal laptop for use in the smart classroom and announced that instructors in Mandarin and Spanish are being recruited to teach remotely. She also highlighted teacher development as a core priority, noting that each semester staff will undergo a week-long training led by expert educators. Sustainability has also been built into the campus, with a 75 KVA solar system supported by a 75 KVA backup generator to ensure uninterrupted power supply, a water filtration system to provide purified drinking water and reduce plastic waste, the planting of over 500 trees and the construction of 14 staff quarters to allow teachers to live on campus and dedicate more time to lesson preparation and student mentoring.
Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Conrad Sackey, commended the project, describing it as a valuable national investment in human capital. He praised President Julius Maada Bio’s continued prioritization of education and lauded Her Excellency Dr. Fatima Maada Bio’s role in safeguarding children’s right to learn. Minister Conrad Sackey said Olive B. Academy demonstrates that “excellence in education is more than an ambition; it is a responsibility,” predicting that its positive impact would be felt not only by pupils but also by families, communities and the nation as a whole.
Delivering the keynote address, Her Excellency Dr. Fatima Maada Bio conveyed warm greetings on behalf of President Julius Maada Bio and described the inauguration as “a sacred moment.” She thanked Olive Favor Baimba and her team for entrusting her with the ribbon-cutting and characterized Olive B. Academy as more than a school, calling it “a sanctuary of learning, a safe space for empowerment and a beacon of progress.” She affirmed that the Academy is a declaration that “daughters matter,” stressing that it will help protect girls from early marriage, gender-based violence and exploitation. Quoting Nobel Laureate, Malala Yousafzai, she reminded the audience that “one child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world,” and said Olive B. Academy stands as living proof of that message.
Her Excellency Dr. Fatima Maada Bio described the school as STEM-focused, solar-powered, inclusive by design and a local alternative to families who might otherwise seek education for their daughters abroad. She praised teachers as “nation-builders,” urged parents to continue serving as the strongest supporters of their daughters and encouraged the pupils to pursue their dreams without limitation. She told the girls to aspire to become doctors, engineers, artists, scientists and entrepreneurs, and warned them never to allow anyone to silence or restrict their ambitions. Acknowledging that education requires sacrifice, she said that investing in excellence at home will reduce dependence on opportunities overseas. Reflecting on her own experiences, she spoke as both a mother and an advocate, urging the girls to hold fast to their dreams and to reject anything that threatens to derail them.
The First Lady also noted that Olive B. Academy complements the Government’s Free Quality Education programme and her Hands of Our Girls campaign, both designed to strengthen opportunities for girls across Sierra Leone. She paid tribute to the Kerry Town community for hosting the institution and called on residents to protect and nurture the school as a national asset.
The inauguration of Olive B. Academy is widely seen as a significant step for girls’ education in Sierra Leone. With its modern STEM-focused facilities, commitment to teacher development, renewable energy systems and environmental stewardship, the Academy sets a new standard for private-sector investment in education that supports Government policy.
With the first intake of pupils now beginning their journey many are watching closely to see how the Academy translates its promise into measurable outcomes for pupils, families and the wider community.
The Calabash Newspaper is Sierra Leone’s leading English‑language news platform—established in 2017 to deliver trusted coverage of politics, culture, health, and more to audiences both at home and abroad.
