By Ibrahim S.Bangura
Residents of Khonimaka, a chiefdom in Kambia District Northern Sierra Leone, have said that the poor condition of the school building causes students to absent themselves from classes whenever it rains as the roof leaks water.
They also made a passionate plea for the condition of the structure which is pictured above to be improved so as aide effective learning by reducing absenteeism which the poor state of the school now unavoidably cause when it leaks water whenever it rains.
According to Mohamed A. Canteh, Head Teacher of Umar Mucktar Islamic Primary School in Phunmeh, one of the communities in the Chiefdom, there has been no proper roof to prevent the rains from entering into the classes.
“And this has been disturbing us for so many years now. Presently, the weather condition usually determines our operation… If the weather condition is good, we will go to school, but if it is not, we will not. Even if we have come to school, there will be no teaching when it is raining, because the entire classroom will be filled with water.”
Conteh added that they have not separated the students according to distinctive academic grades but have lumped students ranging from that ought to be in classes one to six together and teach them as one group. He acknowledges that this limits the quality of the leaning which the students get at the end of the day.
Lansana Kabba, the Head Master of WCSL Primary School, another school in Khonimaka Chiefdom, there is a shortage of teachers, classrooms and water supply facilities, which are the causes of the to ineffective functioning of schools.
Kabba added that teachers are not attracted to Khonimaka because of the remoteness of the chiefdom it was very difficult to get teachers in the school, adding “and those that are here are not approved and without staff there will be less services.”
WCSL primary school headed by Kabba currently has five teachers, but only two had been approved by the Ministry of Education, the rest are volunteers. “When teachers are not approved, we cannot hundred percent get hold of them, and they cannot hundred percent render quality service,” he exhorted.
He further expressed dissatisfaction over the fact that the school he heads does not have pipe borne water which, according to him is a major challenge.
Kabba said that to access water, pupils and staff of the school use the facility of the community that is very close, but outside the school premises.
He mentioned that they had sought help to get pipe born water in the school but have not been successful so far in attracting help from the Government of Sierra Leone and humanitarian aid agencies but they have not been successful so far. He reiterated the call on the government and other humanitarians to help the water crises which the school is facing.