By Politico staff writer
As part of ActionAid’s development and humanitarian outreach programmes, the organisation on Thursday 16th May, 2024 handed over a furnished six classroom state-of-the-art school building to the people of Yogborfore village and a three classroom school building to the Islamic Call Society Primary School, Mosankone village, Kargboro Chiefdom in Moyamba District.
The Classrooms are equipped with furniture and learning materials
Speaking at the event, the Executive Director of ActionAid, Foday-Bassie Swaray said as an organisation they believe in access to education for all and respect for human rights.
He said construction of the school buildings is a demonstration of ActionAid’s commitment to ensuring access to education for children in Sierra Leone, especially where the organisation has educational programmes.
He explained that the construction work which encountered challenges started in 2022 is worth over six hundred and ninety three thousand new leones (Nle 693,000). He said they went ahead with the project and completed it because the existing school structures were already collapsing and life threatening.
He said ActionAid is also supporting teachers in distance education programmes in the community, due to the lack of trained and qualified teachers in all the communities that they operate, so that the teachers would end up well trained and get pin codes.
Swaray called on the government to enroll trained and qualified teachers for better educational outcomes in the communities.
Delivering her keynote address, the Deputy Minister of Education (1), Madam Emile Kadiatu Gogra expressed gratitude to ActionAid for their relentless efforts in helping President Julius Maada Bio’s education agenda.
She stated that the two projects show clear manifestation of the organisation’s commitment to addressing the needs of communities where it operates.
She stated that education is key to development and urged women to support their children in school as they are the future of the country.
She then admonished a teachers, chiefs and students to own the facilities and take good care of them.
The deputy minister said they were committed to addressing the teacher’s pin-code issue.
The Head Teacher of the United Methodist Church mission schools, Augustine P. Simbo said he is overwhelmed by such a wonderful gesture.
He said the school at Yogborfore village has been a dream for many in over nine communities, which has now been realised.
Simbo promised that the school will be fully utilized for the benefit of the children and the yet unborn.
Stakeholders of Mosankone village also expressed gratitude to Actionaid for the support, saying the community has been in dire need of educational projects for many years.The handing over attracted also representatives from the District Council as well as the educational sector.
Copyright © 2024 Politico (27/05/24)
