By Joseph S. Ansumanah
It will be recalled that, on Thursday, 10th May, 2018, on the occasion of the state opening of the First Session of the Fifth Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone, His Excellency the President, Brig. Rtd Julius Maada Bio, called for increased access to quality pre-primary, primary and secondary education.
While critics continue to doubt the actual implementation of the President’s call come September, this year, NaCSA is far ahead preparing the ground to meet this goal. The organisation is all set to complete the building of twelve schools to be completed before and utilized by the next academic year, when the Free Education will commence in the country.
The National Commission for Social Action (NaSCA) is in the bid to promote quality education through its Sierra Leone Community Driven Development Project Phase Two (SLCDD II), seeks to take the lead in that direction.
NaSCA, with support from the Islamic Development Bank, are also constructing nine primary schools, three junior secondary schools, eight community posts and one VIP latrine.
Each project consist of a well furnished six classroom block with a Principal’s/ Head Teacher’s office, a staffroom, Parents/Teachers’ (PTA) Hall, library and self-contained staff toilets; a two bedroom, self-contained staff quarter for Head teacher or Principal to be provided with solar power, water well and external toilets for pupils as well as recreational area for pupils.
The schools targeted include Benevolent Primary School at Petfu Line, the Tonkolili District Council (TDC) Primary School and Maranatha Junior Secondary School at Masingbi in the Kunike Sanda Chiefdom, Tonkolili District, the Community Primary School at Komrabai and the Mabang Junior Secondary School at Mabang in the Kholifa Mabang Chiefdom, Tonkolili District, the Community Primary at Rogbithon, the Gbenti Primary and the Gbenti Junior Secondary School in Gbenti Town in the Debia Chiefdom, Port Loko District, the Community Primary School at Kambia Morie, in the BKM Chiefdom, Port Loko District, the Community Primary School at Bagbantoke Junction, and the Community Primary School at Sembehun in the Bagruwa Chiefdom, Moyamba District and the Community Primary School at Mofumgbay in the Ribbi Chiefdom, Moyamba District.
All these schools are expected to be completed and handed over to the respective communities before September, 2018 for onward utilization in the new academic year.
Funding for these projects is from the Islamic Development Bank and the Government of Sierra Leone and aims at attaining sustainable improvement in well-being of the population in these communities by providing them access to socio-economic opportunities and capacity building.
Acting Principal of Maranatha Junior Secondary School, at Masingi and member of the Community Management Committee (CMC), Alusine Alie Koroma, reiterated the reason for choosing schools in these communities at that time.
According to the acting Principal, the facilities are to encourage their kids to stay in schools. Most of the schools, according to him, are in a very deplorable state, adding that the few better ones are overcrowded and lack the required accommodation to meet the demand of the over growing school population.
The school structures, he noted, will open up the door for increased access to education to the wider school thirsty children of the community, noting that, for the very fist time, teachers will have their own staffroom and, in addition to that, two staff quarters will undoubtedly promote high standard of learning. ‘’ We therefore remain grateful to NaCSA and the Islamic Development Bank for choosing my school,’’ he maintained.
Hassan Gbassay Kanu, a senior teacher of Maranatha Junior Secondary School at Masingbi, said the school, upon its completion, will provide the right teaching environment for its pupils.
For learning to occur, he said standard is expected to be one teacher to thirty five pupils. He assured NaSCA that, with these new facilities, they will meet up to standard, once the structure is completed and he further expressed his appreciation to NaSCA and the Islamic Development Bank for choosing their community.
He emphasized that, this will increase the quality of education in the community and when the people are well educated the country will develop.
While thanking their benefactor, a pupil of the school, Edward Gblah, affirmed that with the newness of their school, they shall ensure that they match the quality of the new school with their output.
He said it will not only be the looks, but it will be correlated into performance, better grades in all public examinations and he also assured NaSCA that, they will make good use of the facilities after its completion.