By Nasratu Kargbo
Child Fund with support from Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has handed over a site for the construction of two three classroom blocks, VIP Latrines, boreholes and furniture for Fourah Bay College Junior Secondary School (JSS) and Services Secondary School at Juba.
The Project Manager in charge of KOICA Project, Jeremy Sawyer handed over the site to the contractors on the 15th March 2024.
Explaining what inspired the construction of schools, Sawyer said that some time back the government introduced the radical inclusion policy which allows marginalized girls that have dropped out of school get access to education, hence the project’s title : ‘Increase access to secondary education to out of school girls in Western Area’.
He said they want to ensure out of school girls get back to school to complete their education, and that they access education in a conducive environment. Sawyer said they will be engaging the community to make sure the girls are protected, stay in school and not to drop out.
Sawyer is expecting quality and standard work as they have been doing in other schools.
The Contractor from Abdul Majid Construction Company Nabieu Musa Samura said that they will be constructing a three classroom block, that will also contain an office space for the principal, and a store.
He assured Child Fund and members of the community that they will continue to deliver quality work as they are accustomed to.
Responding to the concerns raised by members of the community about hiring youths in the community for the construction work, he said they intend to employ responsible members of the community whether skilled or unskilled, but was quick to state that they will not employ persons under the age of eighteen, or drug addicts.
JSS Three pupil of the FBC Junior Secondary School Catherine Thoronka expressed delight over the project, explaining that the institution does not have a senior secondary and that with the structure that Child fund will erect they might have a senior secondary.
Another Pupil from JSS two Abu Razak Kallon said he was delighted especially for the toilet facility.
“We do not have toilet facility in the school, when we want to urinate, we go to the bushes which is very risky for us” he said.
The three-year project which is set to end on the 31st December 2025 is being implemented in six schools in the Western Area District. The organization had already constructed and handed over a three-classroom building at the Sengbe Pieh Memorial School at Mambo Goderich and will be doing same at the Sierra Leone Muslim Congress soon. Asides FBC and Services, a similar project will also be implemented at Government Rokel Secondary School, and Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) Secondary School in Waterloo.
Copyright © 2024 Politico (18/03/24)
