Playhouse Foundation donates Le 130 million school furniture to primary schools in Kono District

As part of its continued commitment to improve the educational sector in Kono District, the Playhouse Foundation in partnership with the Tullow Oil Foundation has commenced the distribution of double school desks and benches to school in remote areas within the district in December 2012.  Phase 3 of the donation process covers the following beneficiary schools:

• Koidu Girls Secondary School, Gbense Chiefdom (60 sets) (within the district headquarter perimeter) which was opened in 1975 and has a total number of 800 pupils.
• U.M.C. Primary School, Bendu II, Kongorfina section, Kamara Chiefdom (60) sets (17 miles from the district headquarter perimeter) which was opened in 1910 and has a total number of 425 pupils.
• U.M.C. Sukudu, Sukudu section, Kamara Chiefdom (60 sets) (12 miles from the district headquarter perimeter). It was opened in 1961 and has a total number of 435 pupils – 198 are girls and 237 are boys.
• R.C. Gbunduru, Gbunduru, Njagbakahun section, Nimiyama Chiefdom (60 sets) (34 miles from the district headquarter town) which was opened in 1992 and has a total number of 181 pupils – 72 are girls and 109 are boys.
• Kono District Education Council School,  Kuakor, Banfeseh section, Gbense Kandor or Upper Gbense, in Gbense Chiefdom (60 sets) (12 miles from the district headquarters) which has a total number of 500 pupils.
• Kono District Education Council, Bombordu Primary School, Bombordu, Doumbia Section, Fiama Chiefdom (30 sets) (21 miles from the district headquarters) which was opened in 1975 and has a total number of 120 pupils – 57 are girls and 63 are boys.
• Kankalay Islamic Primary School, Wusi Kongor, Doumbia Section, Fiama Chiefdom (30 sets) (23 miles from the district headquarters) which has a total number of 137 pupils – 55 are girls and 82 are boys.

Two other schools in Siama, Lei and Yukordu Section in Sandor Chiefdoms are to benefit from the donation of school furniture in January 2013.

The primary problem facing the education sector is the lack of adequate certified teachers or teachers on the payroll of the government in schools throughout the district, especially in the more remote areas.  Parents in these areas of the district are unable to pay the voluntary teachers because they can barely maintain their children at school.  In addition, very few schools in these areas have access to safe drinking or decent toilets.  Another problem is the lack of access to reading and reference books in primary and secondary schools.  Most of the pupils rely on the supply of text books from the government.  Recreational facilities are inadequate in the schools while Home Economics Sections and Science Labs are lacking in the secondary schools.  School benches remain in short supply in many of the schools.  New school buildings have been constructed by the government through the Kono District Council and by international and national donors such as FAWE, NaCSA and World Vision over the last decade.  The proper maintenance of these schools to ensure that they remain in good condition over time is the biggest challenge for all of us.  Nonetheless, more attention should be paid to the rehabilitation and expansion of older school buildings which were constructed 3 to 4 decades ago.

There is a determination on the part of the pupils to work hard at school and the facial expression of the pupils from the beneficiary schools spoke volumes.  The younger girls appeared more ambitious about their future. For Kono District to remain competitive in the country for jobs in the public or private sector or even for self-employment, we need to take a serious look at the challenges facing the education sector.

We need to also ensure that proper foundations are laid for pupils from the early stages of learning through out the value chain until they reach university.

The Playhouse Foundation is a charitable organization that was established in 2009 by Mr. Abu Deedee Koroma and Ms. Finda Koroma in memory of their parents, the Late Abu Aiah Koroma Esq. and his wife, the Late Danké Evelyn Koroma.  The focus of the foundation is on education and the main beneficiaries are children, the youth and the disadvantaged section of the population in Sierra Leone. The Playhouse Foundation is registered charity in Houston, Texas and in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

We remain grateful to all our donors, both national and international especially the Tullow Oil Foundation.  We would also like to acknowledge the St. Joseph’s Vocational Institute in Lunsar especially Father Mario and Brother Joseph along with some of the young welders such as Idrissa Koroma and Abu Bakar Sesay and the young carpenters like Joseph Alhassan Dao and Jerry Bangura to work tirelessly to produce such good school furniture.  Most of all we remain grateful to all our board members.

Finda Koroma

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