The Parliamentary Accountability Committee has rounded up a four days “interrogation and educative session” with Principals
of Secondary Schools in the South.
The sessions, which were held in the Bo City Hall saw the Principals and sometimes the Vice Principals answering to questions
from the panel of 10.
Appearing before the ten-man committee on the final day of Thursday, the Principal of Centenary Secondary School Mr. Makieu
was found wanting of “Mismanagement of School,” and he truthfully answered guilty.
Mr. Makieu who happens to be the only one to be apprehended was summoned to appear before the Committee in Parliament next
week. He was also asked to immediately hand over the running of the School to his Vice.
Meanwhile, Mr. Mathieu Makieu the indicted, whilst sitting in the chair of the Principal of the School has left the school
though not unceremoniously to pursue further studies at the Njala University. Whilst at the University, he answered to having
running the school remotely from his course room at the University. He had his office under lock and key, even though he
informally handed over the running of the School to his Vice Mr. Alex Nallo. Mr Nallo who acted as the Principal of the
Senior School explained that he “ran the school to some extent but not in entirety.” The Principal he revealed ran the
financial aspect of the school whilst he did only the administrative side.
But even before this, the indicted man who had received a letter dated 8th October 2007 from the Ministry of Education
Science and Technology, administratively dictating to him to run the school separately, could not heed to the dictates of the
letter.
The letter, coming under the signature of the then Deputy Director of Education Mr Paul Lappia instructed Mr Makieu to follow
the Policy of Separate Management of School from the Ministry of Education.
The letter further directed Mr. Makieu to have his position advertised in the local tabloid now that he was leaving the
school to further his studies. It also directed the principal to call a board meeting before leaving but he could not heed to
any of the calls.
Soffia Kabbia, who presided this last session, put it to the principal that he failed to do all of the above just because
“you are corrupt.” He averred to him that “you failed to comply with the policy of the ministry…to advertise in the local
newspapers…failed to call a board meeting.”
The particular incident of the principal not separating the school into two shifts as the Ministry dictated prompted the
honorable to remark that “Your complete lack of segregation of duties, both financially and administratively makes you
wanting of mismanagement of the school.” The principals performance he put it leaves a lot to be desired.
This he further put it was a “selfish tendency” but that as the future of the children lies in the hands of teachers; his
government he said would not allow any principal to destroy the future of the children.
Chukuma Johnson, Chairman of the Committee stated to the throng of principals that they “hold the key to national
development” and that should not be compromised by any man. The responsibility of teachers to the children of Sierra Leone
which he said was to educate them was to be sacred. “It is their constitutional right.”
Raymond Bob Katta Principal of the Bo Government Secondary School and Chair of the Conference of Principals thanked the
committee for the “interrogative and educative session” the principals had before the committee. With this sort of education,
the principal maintained that they were going to learn from it so that at any other time the committee appears they would not
be found “much wanting.” Our education he said is in the drains.
of Secondary Schools in the South.
The sessions, which were held in the Bo City Hall saw the Principals and sometimes the Vice Principals answering to questions
from the panel of 10.
Appearing before the ten-man committee on the final day of Thursday, the Principal of Centenary Secondary School Mr. Makieu
was found wanting of “Mismanagement of School,” and he truthfully answered guilty.
Mr. Makieu who happens to be the only one to be apprehended was summoned to appear before the Committee in Parliament next
week. He was also asked to immediately hand over the running of the School to his Vice.
Meanwhile, Mr. Mathieu Makieu the indicted, whilst sitting in the chair of the Principal of the School has left the school
though not unceremoniously to pursue further studies at the Njala University. Whilst at the University, he answered to having
running the school remotely from his course room at the University. He had his office under lock and key, even though he
informally handed over the running of the School to his Vice Mr. Alex Nallo. Mr Nallo who acted as the Principal of the
Senior School explained that he “ran the school to some extent but not in entirety.” The Principal he revealed ran the
financial aspect of the school whilst he did only the administrative side.
But even before this, the indicted man who had received a letter dated 8th October 2007 from the Ministry of Education
Science and Technology, administratively dictating to him to run the school separately, could not heed to the dictates of the
letter.
The letter, coming under the signature of the then Deputy Director of Education Mr Paul Lappia instructed Mr Makieu to follow
the Policy of Separate Management of School from the Ministry of Education.
The letter further directed Mr. Makieu to have his position advertised in the local tabloid now that he was leaving the
school to further his studies. It also directed the principal to call a board meeting before leaving but he could not heed to
any of the calls.
Soffia Kabbia, who presided this last session, put it to the principal that he failed to do all of the above just because
“you are corrupt.” He averred to him that “you failed to comply with the policy of the ministry…to advertise in the local
newspapers…failed to call a board meeting.”
The particular incident of the principal not separating the school into two shifts as the Ministry dictated prompted the
honorable to remark that “Your complete lack of segregation of duties, both financially and administratively makes you
wanting of mismanagement of the school.” The principals performance he put it leaves a lot to be desired.
This he further put it was a “selfish tendency” but that as the future of the children lies in the hands of teachers; his
government he said would not allow any principal to destroy the future of the children.
Chukuma Johnson, Chairman of the Committee stated to the throng of principals that they “hold the key to national
development” and that should not be compromised by any man. The responsibility of teachers to the children of Sierra Leone
which he said was to educate them was to be sacred. “It is their constitutional right.”
Raymond Bob Katta Principal of the Bo Government Secondary School and Chair of the Conference of Principals thanked the
committee for the “interrogative and educative session” the principals had before the committee. With this sort of education,
the principal maintained that they were going to learn from it so that at any other time the committee appears they would not
be found “much wanting.” Our education he said is in the drains.