The Regent Primary School which was one of the first primary institutions in Sierra Leone is in a deplorable state after the Ministry of Education has abandoned it for the last two decades.
Regent Village just seven miles from the city has not received any help and the learning conditions of the children are very saddened.
The tables and chairs are all broken and the construction of the building has left most of the classrooms filled with rain water whenever there is rainfall.
Speaking to the Headmaster of the school, Sylvester Leigh, he said that for about 20 years now no government material support has been received in the school so they have to be managing the broken chairs and tables.
He said because of the kind of ventilations in all the classrooms, during the dry seasons when the wind blew the classrooms are filled with dust and in the rainy season it is worse because when the classrooms are filled with water, there is no way classes will be conducted.
He also explained that the toilet facilities in the school are not functioning and any institution without toilet should not function. He averred that the parents have been helping out with furniture over the years.
In another development, the Western Rural Council and the Anglican Church have been in dialogue whether the school should return to its original master or not. The Rev. Sam Thomas who is in charge of St Charles Church said that they have written to the Rural Council and they are waiting for a reply because the church wants to take over the school as it was before decades ago.
He said they are aware of the deplorable condition of the school and the non support from the ministry but if the school is returned to the Church, they would be able to raise funds for repairs and changing of furniture.
Because of this impasse over the years, the Church that should have been a key player in the school’s development over the years, backed out until the matter is solved.