Residents in Njaluahun village, Koya Chiefdom about 60 kilometres from Kenema, are currently in a state of confusion in relation to their children’s education.
Njaluahun Village can be accessed from Kenema through Boama Town, Dama Chiefdom, and the only road leading to the town is dominated by risky, rickety stick bridges.
It’s 11 days since the official opening of school but pupils of the only primary school in Njaluahun village, Islamic Welfare Primary, are still at home waiting for their teachers to start attending.
All the pupils are home assisting their parents and guardians with farm work instead of being at school doing their studies.
The Islamic Welfare Primary School, a six classroom, standard building, is located on the out skirts of the village about a 5-minute walk from the village.
The Town Chief, Mammie Sannoh, disclosed that the level of their children’s education is dropping every day as the children spend the whole day playing instead of being in school.
According to her, the teachers in the school are not on the Government payroll. They rely on support from the villagers who came together to work on farms created for the teachers.
“Before school closed, the teachers were on strike. I’m sure they are still on it as they are yet to start teaching our children,” she says. The situation is forcing parents and guardians to send their children to school in Kenema but only if they can afford it. For those who cannot afford it, the children are just at home.
The Chief appealed to the Ministry of Education for their teachers to be trained and included in the Government payroll. The current teachers are not trained nor qualified but are trying their best in assisting the pupils in that village.
Edward Saidu, a parent of two pupils attending the school, expressed dissatisfaction over the current educational situation. He said living conditions are rough for them and their children are being deprived of their rights.
A class five pupil, wearing his torn farm work clothes, said he is not sure when their school will re-open. That was why he decided to join his parents in farm work.
Efforts to reach teachers was fruitless as they were engaged with farm work.
By Alhaji M. Kamara
Friday May 19, 2017.