BY ABDULAZIZ SAMURA
As part of Actionaid’s trajectory of development and humanitarian efforts, the organization officially handed over six state-of-the-art, spacious school buildings with six classrooms each to the Yogborfore village community and a three-classroom school building to the Islamic Call Society Primary School in Mosankone village, Kargboro Chiefdom, located in the Moyamba District on Thursday, May 16, 2024.
The ceremonies for the handovers attracted governance stakeholders, including the Deputy Minister of Education, Madam Emily Gogra, and various community representatives from the District Council and the education sector.
In his address, the Executive Director of Actionaid, Foday-Bassie Swaray, emphasized the organization’s belief in the importance of education and human rights.
He highlighted that Actionaid has made a commitment in their strategies to bring about transformation.
Swaray stated that the construction of these school buildings is a tangible demonstration of the organization’s dedication to ensuring educational access for children in Sierra Leone, especially in areas where they have educational programs.
Furthermore, Swaray revealed that the construction of these buildings also aims to promote education for Sustainable Development.
The Executive Director emphasized that these schools are newly constructed, with Actionaid commencing the building process in 2022, despite facing challenges along the way that did not impede their completion timeline.
He mentioned that the Yogborfore village school currently has an enrollment of close to 300 students and added that Actionaid is supporting teachers who are pursuing distance education in the community.
Swaray highlighted one of the challenges faced by the community and other operational areas, which is the lack of trained and qualified teachers.
In terms of cost, the entire construction project exceeded six hundred and ninety-three thousand New Leones.
During her keynote speech, Deputy Minister of Education, Madam Emily Kadiatu Gogra, expressed her profound appreciation to Actionaid for their unwavering support towards President Julius Maada Bio’s education flagship initiative.
She noted that these two significant educational projects by Actionaid clearly demonstrate the organization’s commitment to addressing the needs of the communities where they are active.
Gogra emphasized that education is a crucial factor in addressing the economic challenges faced by communities and the nation as a whole.
Furthermore, she urged women to actively support their children, as they represent the future of Sierra Leone.
However, Gogra also urged all stakeholders, including teachers, chiefs, and students, to take excellent care of the school buildings.
She assured them of the government’s commitment to addressing the teachers’ challenges and providing support for the maintenance of the school facilities.
The Head Teacher of the United Methodist Church schools, Augustine P. Simbo, expressed his overwhelming gratitude for this generous educational gesture.
He pledged to utilize the school for its intended purpose and for the benefit of future generations.
Simbo extended his gratitude to Actionaid for their humanitarian efforts and appealed for continued support for the school.
Stakeholders from Mosankone village also conveyed their deep appreciation to Actionaid Sierra Leone for their assistance, noting that the community had been in dire need of educational projects for many years.
Several stakeholders, including the Board Chairperson of Actionaid, a representative from the Moyamba District Council, the Deputy Director of Education, and the Director of NGOs in the Ministry of Development, made significant statements and thanked Actionaid for constructing such a cutting-edge school in an underserved community.
They encouraged community stakeholders, teachers, and students to utilize the school facilities for the educational advancement of children.