Baana Day Care Center was started in our living room on December 1, 1967, to provide a safe and healthy environment for mothers to leave their babies while at work. Women were slowly becoming a part of the work force needing reliable child care solutions. In addition to providing day care services for infants and toddlers, we also monitored the children’s immunizations and provided guidance on nutrition and other childcare issues to mothers, many of whom, for the first time, had to juggle the dual role of being a parent and a professional. When the first set of infants became toddlers, parents requested we consider developing a preschool to provide continuity for their children.
Baana Pre-Primary School was started in 1970 as the first babies became pre-schoolers. Children who did not attend the day care also enrolled in the nursery school. The first set of children to do so were orphans from the Sierra Leone Children’s Home at Spur Road Wilberforce under the sponsorship of Mrs. Mojibola Bal-Adams, a dear friend, colleague and mentor. With our goal now expanded to prepare children for elementary education, it became necessary to expand, and our vegetable garden was converted into a 3 classroom complex, complete with bathroom facilities, to accommodate this growth. Another service provided by Baana Pre-Primary School was assisting parents with the registration of their children at primary schools in the area. Heads of local primary schools at the time accepted our graduates knowing they were well prepared for elementary school work.
“We have continued to grow over the years and today as a Preparatory school, we continue to celebrate 100% success at the NPSE exams. This is a national entrance exam into secondary school. Where once we guaranteed acceptance into primary schools, our students are now prepared for acceptance into secondary schools. Unfortunately, we are still using the infrastructure developed almost 50 years ago to accommodate our expansion from a Day Care Center to a Nursery School.”
The Founder and Proprietress of Baana Nursery and Preparatory School, Leyinde Rosa Baana Hannah Susan Pabs-Garnon (nee Thomas) said “Our success over the years is due in no small measure to the devoted, loyal and hard working staff, some of whom have been with the school for more than 20 years. The primary mission of the staff was, and continues to be, the physical, emotional and educational welfare of the children. Their success can be measured not only by the number of students who have graduated from this institution but also by the quality of these graduates. During the country’s civil war, the staff ensured that our doors remained open and our students continued to receive their education. Some staff members personally visited parents, urging them to return their children to school at the end of hostilities. Even during those trying times, they maintained their focus on the education of our young children and the continuation of the school. They are therefore responsible for implementing the growth from a Pre-Primary to Primary School that can boast of 100% success at the NPSE exams. Without the untiring efforts of the staff, Baana will not be celebrating 50 years of existence next year.”
Baana has been blessed to have the support of a dedicated volunteer Board of Directors committed to the growth and development of this institution. Following the death of our husband/dad who helped significantly with the business side of things, the Board has guided us through every step of Baana’s development. Over the years, each member has devoted time from their busy schedules to help maintain the school’s standards and promote its continued success. In particular, the current board, under the leadership of Dr. Len. Gordon-Harris, Jacob Kanu, Mrs. Renee Taylor-Pearce, Miatta French, Martha Fergusson, Michael Frazer, Walter Nicol and Gracie Williams has consistently supported the institution and staff during our absence, maintaining accountability and our historical standards.
OG/25/11/17
Monday November 27, 2017.
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