A new ultra-modern pre-school has been constructed in Mayakie village in Kambia district by the biggest and leading telecoms company, Orange Sierra Leone. Kambia district is in the north-west region of the country.
The new school contains three classrooms, and each room can host 24 pupils at a time. It is situated at the premises of the Kambia District Education Committee (KDEC) Primary and secondary schools’ premises built in May, 2006.
KDEC has primary and secondary school components with approximately 220 pupils. It was commissioned yesterday by the Minister of Basic and Senior School Education, David Moinina Sengeh. Several dignitaries and local community stakeholders took part in the ceremony.
Speaking at the occasion, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Orange Sierra Leone, Aminata Kane Ndiaye said the occasion in Mayakie village was a special day. Mrs Ndiaye said life started in early childhood and that childhood was extremely important in human development. With the construction of the new school, the CEO said, the younger kids would have a place to learn. Mrs Ndiaye believes that provision of education would empower one for political positions.
“We offer your children an opportunity to learn for the next President. I will be happy to see that the next President coming from Mayakie village,” she said.
She described the school as a template for the construction of other schools in various communities in Sierra Leone on cost-effective solutions. Orange Sierra Leone CEO assured the community that the company would come back to support the school in whatever capacity. She also spoke about the maternal health project which the company launched five days ago in one of the biggest communities in Freetown. The project, she said, also catered for children.
Mrs Ndiaye called on women to contribute to national development making specific reference to the woman engineer who did the design for the construction of the school.
In his contribution, the Paramount Chief of Mambolo Chiefdom, Bai Shebora the Lion appreciated Orange Sierra Leone for the construction of the new school. The paramount chief said the construction project was an extension of the company’s contribution to national building.
“I know the company as one that provides communication service to country,” he said.
With the expansion of the company, the paramount chief went on, the last man in the most remote part of the country could communicate, receive and send money anywhere in the world. He said the company had been very much supportive of the Free Quality Education (FQE) project since it was launched by President Julius Maada Bio. The introduction of FQE has saved parents from an economic burden that used to weigh them hard.
“Parents used to pay millions of Leones for their children to go to school. But, now they longer pay such huge amounts of money,” he said.
The paramount Chief also appreciated the Minister of Education, David Moinina Sengeh for making the chiefdom to be the first to benefit from the Company’s humanitarian foundation. PC Bai Shebora also told the audience that the school would not only benefit Mayakie village, but the entire chiefdom.
“Mayakie is fastly becoming an education centre,” he said.
The paramount chief drew the attention of the Minister of Education to the continued extortion of money by the teachers. He said the actions of teachers ran run contrary to the main objective of the FQE.
A 10-minute performance by seven pupils of the school formed part of the occasion. The performance done in a concert form sent a message about the reliability of Orange Sierra Leone network system.
The concert also showcased the benefits one acquires in sending and receiving money through the network. The keynote address was delivered by the Minister, David Moinina Sengeh.
The minister stressed on the importance of pre-school education noting that one could do well in primary and secondary schools if he had solid foundation during kindergarten stage.
“Education is the only solution for moving the nation forward,” he said.
The minister called on parents to provide the best protein food for their children so that they could learn well.
Mr Sengeh emphasised that the most important investment in education is supporting pre-school.
He also informed the audience supervisors had been trained by his ministry to help in monitoring schools for effective service delivery. The sum of Le52Bn, he said, had been provided by his ministry for effective management of the schools.
He called community stakeholders to take good care of the school. The minister however appreciated the community for financially supporting community teachers out of their bare means.
He said government had 80, 000 teachers on pay roll, apart from other 80, 000 public sector workers government have to take care of. The minister appealed to the teachers to exercise patience as government is working hard to solve some of their problems.
A conducted tour of the school facilities was done by the Minister and the CEO, orange Sierra Leone in the company of local stakeholders. Cutting of the tape by Minister Sengeh formed the highest point of the ceremony.