China's education a model for Sierra Leone to fight poverty

Sierra Leone, a country on the west coast of Africa, has a total area of 71,740 square kilometers and a population of 7.75 million.

Sierra Leone's economy relies mostly on mining, especially on diamond mining, and it is among the largest producers of titanium and bauxite, and a major producer of gold. Also, it has one of the world's largest deposits of rutile. But despite its natural wealth, about 53 percent of its population was living in poverty, according to 2011 data. Even though the country saw macroeconomic growth from 2003 to 2011, its per capita GDP is still much lower than the average per capita GDP of sub-Saharan Africa.

Sierra Leone has experienced several civil wars and abject poverty since it gained independence in 1961. It is one of the few countries that faces extreme poverty despite having precious natural resources such as diamonds and rare minerals. Among the issues that contribute to this poverty are poor governance and underdeveloped infrastructure, and lack of education.