Most schools in rural Sierra Leone do not have access to electricity. This lack of access limits the ability of schools to teach night shifts, limits the ability of students to study at night, and limits the ability for instruction with devices such as computers.

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is supporting the Government of Sierra Leone to increase access to electricity through the Rural Renewable Energy Project (RREP).

This policy brief investigates findings from surveys of government or government-assisted schools in rural Sierra Leone, across 14 districts of Sierra Leone. It also points to policies which can improve the implementation of the programme in Sierra Leone and elsewhere, contributing to higher rates of school electricity access, and increasing the benefits of electricity access in schools.