Girl child education perishes in Kailahun

The educational system in the country is rapidly deteriorating and Kailahun is no exception. In the past the country was well renowned for its academic excellence throughout the West Africa sub region. One of the legacies of the civil war still gripping the country is the poor academic system. After the war, many NGOs, international communities and even the government spent a lot of money to bring the educational system back into good shape. Many schools were built and many scholarships were issued. For instance Sababu Education Project was particularly implemented to promote the girl child education in areas where female education was not a priority. Kailahun was one of such places that benefited from it.

However, as part of the country-wide deterioration of the academic system, female education in the district is faced with serious of problems. A survey carried out recently by university students who hail from Kailahun revealed that out of every seven girls who sit to the National Primary School Exams, only four reach to BECE level. It was also revealed that out of every four girls promoted to the SSS class, only two may be fortunate to take the WASSS exams. It was also revealed that most the school going girls in the town are not under parental care. According to the data collected, about 55% girls in the JSS classes and about 75% of the girls in the SSS classes stay with their male partners, whom according to them, are rendering great assistance.

Most of the girls are coming from very poor and illiterate families within the surrounding villages in the District. They could not afford to pay the fees and other school charges. According to them it is not their wish to engage in what one of them, who asked not to be named, termed as “semi-marriage.” According to the girls, the current hardship in the country forced them into untimely relationships and affairs.

“My father is blind and my mother is an old woman now; and I want to be educated like any other person people admire. So I have no other alternative,” one of the girls said.

Another major crisis with girl child education in the district that was discovered is unwanted pregnancy. The unwanted pregnancy which is affecting mostly the teenagers is on a rapid increase in the district. According to the data collected, at least three cases of unprepared for pregnancy are recorded in the government hospital every month. According to one senior citizen in the town, one of the causes is the perpetual night shows organized in the town. He said not less than two night shows are staged in the town every week which he said encourages sexual activities and ends in pregnancy.

The residents called upon the government to restore dignity in education in the district. They also recommended to the district council to put modalities in place that will help to protect the future generations in the district. The humanitarian organizations and other NGOs are also called upon by the elders to come to the rescue of the genuine and ambitious female pupils by providing scholarship facilities for them.

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