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Literacy Specialist

Education icon Education

Job highlights

Sierra Leone • Africa
In partnership with: Sierra Leone Teaching Service Commission (TSC)

Learn about service in Sierra Leone

Applications are now closed. View current openings.

Special benefits
  • Hands-on, valuable international work experience
  • Travel to and from country, housing and monthly living allowance, and full coverage of medical and dental needs during service
  • Competitive advantage for positions at Peace Corps and opportunities to save on graduate degrees and other education programs
  • Monthly accrued Volunteer service award (readjustment allowance) totaling $6,000 before taxes, with option to access for ongoing financial obligations

Key dates

Apply by

December 15, 2025

Know by

March 1, 2026

Depart on

July 12, 2026

Duration

12 months

Description and qualifications

About the project

The Sierra Leone Teaching Service Commission (TSC) in Freetown has requested the support of Peace Corps Response Volunteers (PCRVs) to serve as Literacy Specialists. Foundational learning in Sierra Leone is critically low, particularly in early grades. About 80% of Sierra Leonean children lack early reading and numeracy skills essential for subsequent learning (MICS 2017). Under the FREE Education Project Sierra Leone, the government and the World Bank have agreed to accelerate foundational learning through a multi-year adapted curricula implementation. The lack of local subject matter experts has hindered progress in the implementation of this important project.

The PCRVs will collaborate with the TSC’s Director of Teacher Development and Performance and other key stakeholders to support the design, implementation, and monitoring of literacy initiatives across schools throughout the country. They will provide technical expertise, teacher training strategies, curriculum support, and materials development to build the capacity of teachers, promote evidence-based literacy instruction, and improve literacy outcomes for children in Sierra Leone. The Teaching Service Commission seeks literacy specialists to accelerate the implementation of this important project in achieving the goal of "Literacy for All".

Learn more about what Volunteers do in country by visiting our Sierra Leone project page.

Required skills

Qualified candidates will have the following criteria:

- BA in Literacy Education or other relevant field

- 3 or more years of experience in literacy education

Language: There are no pre-requisite language requirements for this position.

Required behavioral competencies

These competencies are essential for all service assignments and are assessed in the application and interview process:

Motivation for and commitment to service

Adaptability and open-mindedness

Problem solving and resourcefulness

Behavioral maturity and professionalism

Photos from Sierra Leone

Activities

How you and the community will make an impact together:


Living conditions

Learn more about the living conditions, including detailed information on culture, communications, housing, and health/crime statistics on our Sierra Leone country page. You can also delve into stories about local communities by reading our blog or Volunteer stories.

Meet a Volunteer in Sierra Leone

Headshot of a Volunteer smiling wearing a white shirt and standing against a yellow wall.

David G.

Math Teacher


"Working with my community has taught me that unity and collaboration are key to success."

See full Volunteer profile
Training


Couples information

To learn more about serving as a couple in Sierra Leone, visit the country page.


Next steps

Application process

From application to departure takes around nine months. Learn about the application process for Volunteer opportunities.

Medical/legal clearance

You will need to be cleared medically and legally in order to serve in Sierra Leone. Review information on medical clearance and legal clearance to learn about the process.

Learn what it's like to serve in Sierra Leone
Get detailed information on the Volunteer experience.