Freetown – The Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) has officially released the approved price list for school uniforms and related items for Junior Secondary School (JSS) and Senior Secondary School (SSS) pupils ahead of the 2026/2027 academic year.
The notice, issued from the Ministry’s headquarters at New England in Freetown, urges parents and guardians to take careful note of the prescribed costs as they prepare for the new school year. Under Sierra Leone’s Free Quality School Education (FQSE) programme, tuition is free in government and government-assisted schools, but uniforms, badges and certain accessories remain the responsibility of families. The standardised list is intended to prevent overcharging and ensure transparency.
According to the approved list (quoted in New Leones, NLe):
For JSS and SSS boys
– Pocket badge: NLe 20
– Neck tie (optional): NLe 50
– Two sets of sewn uniforms with badges: NLe 450 (JSS) and NLe 500 (SSS)
For Muslim JSS and SSS girls
– Hijab: NLe 75
– Pocket badge: NLe 20
– Two sets of sewn uniforms with badges: NLe 450
For Christian JSS girls
– Beret and crest: NLe 90
– Belt: NLe 90
– Pocket badge: NLe 20
– Two sets of sewn uniforms with badges: NLe 450
For Christian SSS girls
– Felt hat and band: NLe 210
– Belt: NLe 90
– Pocket badge: NLe 20
– Two sets of sewn uniforms with badges: NLe 450
These prices continue the Ministry’s practice of issuing annual guidelines to protect parents from inflated charges by some schools or vendors. Similar lists in previous years have been accompanied by calls for schools to display the official rates on notice boards and allow parents flexibility to purchase certain items outside the school where possible.
Parents are advised to buy only the approved items at the stated prices and to report any school demanding higher amounts. The 2026/2027 academic year is expected to follow the usual calendar pattern, with the first term typically beginning in early September.
The Ministry has reminded all stakeholders that strict adherence to the published list will help ease the financial burden on families while maintaining uniformity across public secondary schools nationwide.
