By Septimus Senessie in Kono
The Acting Manager of ActionAid Sierra Leone, Kono says his organization is ready to inject more support into the promotion of girl child education in the district as represented by an intervention amounting to Le 300
Million.
Mohamed Fofana was speaking at a ceremony organized at the Jaiama Nimikoro Court Barray where scholarships were awarded to 23 girl who had successfully passed the 2012 primary school-leaving examinations, NPSE. Under the scholarship they will, for three years, have their fees paid for them and school materials also bought for them.
Seven teachers from the KDEC primary school in Nimikoro were also awarded scholarships to study for a Higher Teachers' Certificate at the Freetown Teachers' College. The school is to also receive a 6-classroom building block, nearing completion, with office space, 2-seater ltrines and tap water all amounting to Le 300 million.
Fofana said the money was secured from the Millionaires Foundation founded by a UK based philanthropist called Jerry. He maintained that at the completion of the school they would provide furniture and teaching
and learning materials to enhance girl child education in the chiefdom and lauded the efforts of those managing the school. He promised to provide “adequate training” for them to help shape their knowledge on school management so as to more effectively monitor the activities of children in the chiefdom. He encouraged
parents to prioritize the education of their daughters.
Sahr Maturie, Chairman of the Education Committee described the move by ActionAid as “fantastic and timely”. He said education started in his chiefdom over 100 years with girl child education taking off over 96
years ago. But he lamented that “the society does not value educating women at all” adding that the rate of poverty would never reduce in Sierra Leone if women who comprised over half the country’s population were left behind. He said they had instituted bi-laws against early marriage, teenage pregnancy and the refusal by parents to send girls of learning age to school. Massa Bona is the chairlady for the Nimikoro Mothers Club. She thanked ActionAid for their intervention and promised to prioritize the education of the chiefdom's girls.
