By Bob Batilo Saffa in Kenema
Following an investigative report by Politico in July this year, on the existence of ghost schools in Kenema district, authorities have mounted their own investigations into the issue and discovered that the number is much higher.
The district council says that support for 77 schools said to be nonexistent has been withheld and their names struck off the list of schools that receive government school fee subsidies meant for the region.
At his Maxwell Khobe Street office in Kenema, the deputy director of education, Claudia Wilson, confirmed the existence of ghost schools in the district and that they had received school fee subsidies for this year.
He said that based on the findings of the supervisor of schools some of those ghosts schools had existed before but were closed down in those locations for reasons they could not understand.
Wilson, however, acknowledged that some schools actually existed and had received school fee subsidies in the two years of his coming to office in Kenema.
When asked how many they had discovered and collated them he replied that the cleaning-up exercise was still ongoing, and urged the media to play a pivotal role by comparing notes with his office.
Asked whether he was a signatory to schools’ accounts he said: “I have no bearing with schools’ accounts but it will be wise to contact the council regarding that,” he said.
Finance officer of the Kenema district council, Morlai Patrick Kamara confessed to the existence of ghost schools but said they had succeeded in tracking down 77 of them and had deleted their names.
“We have prepared tracking forms for all schools that have been receiving subsidies. Some sensitive details include the name of recipient head teachers, names of school management committees and the community teachers’ association,” he stated.
He told Politico that because of the “unscrupulous and unpatriotic attitude of some selfish individuals who have been receiving those monies”, the council was working closely with the anticorruption commission, the budget oversight committee and the education office “to restore sanity” to the system.
Following is the list of the Ghost Schools that have been delisted:
| NO | NAME OF SCHOOL | SEA L NO | LOCATION | CHIEFDOM |
| 1 | Ahmadiyya Muslim primary | Gbado | Leppiema | |
| 2 | Ahmadiyya Muslim primary | Yahun | Tunkia | |
| 3 | Ahmadiyya Muslim primary | Taninahun | Small-Bo | |
| 4 | Ahmadiyya Muslim primary | Taninahun | Small-Bo | |
| 5 | Al-Qudus Islamic primary | Gbado | Leppiema | |
| 6 | Aarrakan Islamic primary | KE 194 | Punduru | Lower Bambara |
| 7 | Alfataiah Islamic primary | 412295 | Niawana | Gaura |
| 8 | Alfatah Islamic primary | Waima | Nomo | |
| 9 | Alfatah Islamic primary | Pandembu | Nomo | |
| 10 | Al-Qudus Islamic primary | 410247 | Mano-junction | Nongowa |
| 11 | Al-Qudus Islamic primary | Komiyiehun | Tunkia | |
| 12 | Al-Qudus Islamic primary | 416044 | Mathew | |
| 13 | Al-rasul Al-Azam Primary | Kengema | ||
| 14 | Charitable community school | 410210 | Gbado | Leppiema |
| 15 | D E C primary | 410111 | Gorahun | Tunkia |
| 16 | District council school | Njaluahun | ||
| 17 | Experital primary | Gbenderu | Lower Bambara | |
| 18 | Hill top primary | Levuma | Leppiema | |
| 19 | Integrate community primary | 410118 | Pandembu | Dama |
| 20 | Islamic welfare union | 416107 | Tinkonko | Gaura |
| 21 | Islamic welfare union | Wailor | Gaura | |
| 22 | KMDEC | Kpetema | Briwai | |
| 23 | KMDEC | Vaamakanda | Lower Bambara | |
| 24 | KMDEC | 410119 | Ngiema | Dama |
| 25 | KMDEC | 410111 | Damawulo | Tunkia |
| 26 | KMDEC | 410402 | Tongo field | Lower Bambara |
| 27 | Know your religion primary | 412243 | Bayama | Small-Bo |
| 28 | Methodist primary | Kambema | ||
| 29 | Methodist primary | 425026 | Serabu | Small-Bo |
| 30 | Methodist primary | 419402 | Konabu | Konambu |
| 31 | Methodist primary | 413904 | Kokoru | Gaura |
| 32 | National Islamic primary | konjor | Lower Bambara | |
| 33 | National Islamic primary | Jaweuwahun | Gaura | |
| 34 | National Islamic primary | Towbu | Malegohun | |
| 35 | National Islamic primary | kundorma | Lower Bambara | |
| 36 | National Islamic primary | Konjor | Dama | |
| 37 | National Islamic primary | Yorgorma | nongowa | |
| 38 | National Islamic primary | Jagbema | ||
| 39 | National Islamic primary | Talia torgboma | nongowa | |
| 40 | National Islamic primary | Yiebama | gaura | |
| 41 | National Islamic primary | Manoweaguabu | ||
| 42 | National Islamic primary | Kamasu | Lower bambara | |
| 43 | National Islamic primary | Gaahun | malegohun | |
| 44 | National Islamic primary | Kebawana | wandor | |
| 45 | National Islamic primary | Faama | nomo | |
| 46 | National Islamic primary | Gondamasiama | ||
| 47 | National Islamic primary | lowuma | Lower bambara | |
| 48 | National Islamic primary | Njala | gaura | |
| 49 | National Islamic primary | Blama | Small-Bo | |
| 50 | New harvest primary | Blama | Small-Bo | |
| 51 | Pupils education primary | Sami Sedema | ||
| 52 | R C primary | Mangehun | Malegohun | |
| 53 | R C primary | Benduma | Malegohun | |
| 54 | R C primary | Gbado | Leppiema | |
| 55 | R C primary | Mandina | Dama | |
| 56 | R C primary | Gangama | Lower Bambara | |
| 57 | R C primary | Bobama | Leppiema | |
| 58 | R C primary | Taliu | Lower Bambara | |
| 59 | R C primary | Kpaima | ||
| 60 | SDA primary | Gbeworbu | Dama | |
| 61 | SDA primary | Boamatiwa | Dama | |
| 62 | SLC primary | Pewoh | ||
| 63 | SLMB | Blama | Small-Bo | |
| 64 | SLMB | Tongia | Goramamende | |
| 65 | SLMB | Tongia | Goramamende | |
| 66 | SLMB | Diama | ||
| 67 | Sierra Leone Muslim community primary | Benduma | Dama | |
| 68 | Sierra Leone Muslim community primary | Bayama | Small-Bo | |
| 69 | UIP primary | Njayiama | Dama | |
| 70 | UMA primary | Nyadehun | Lower Bambara | |
| 71 | UMA primary | Kpaama | Tunkia | |
| 72 | UMA primary | Boima | Wandor | |
| 73 | UMA primary | Kamboma | Nomo | |
| 74 | United Islamic primary | Panguma | Lower Bambara | |
| 75 | United Islamic primary | Darsalem | Dama | |
| 76 | United Islamic primary | Buuma | Lower bambara | |
| 77 | Ahmadiyya muslim primary | Masahun | Leppiema | |
(C) Politico 12/09/13
