Centennial pupils on the rampage… stone police in Sierra Leone

Confirmed reports from Mattru Jong, Bonthe District, reveal that pupils of the Centennial Secondary School yesterday went on strike, demanding the instant dismissal of their principal, Abdul Alpha Barrie who they accused of being incompetent and unfit to continue administering the school.

The striking pupils reportedly plunged Mattru into chaos by engaging the police in a battle.  Our sources disclosed that the aggrieved pupils were raining stones on the police who they accused of beating up a colleague pupil.

The protesting pupils alleged that throughout the tenure of office of their principal, the school has been in a mess with no pupil getting university entrance requirement since 2009, adding that their library is woefully ill-equipped and their teachers are not encouraged to deliver effective service.

The pupils vowed not to return to their classes until their principal is deposed.

Mr. Barrie, they alleged, has brought the school from grace to grass, making him no longer fit to administer the school.

Before going on the peaceful demonstration, the pupils are said to have obtained clearance from the Local Unit Commander, Emmerson Kargbo but that while they were demonstrating peacefully along the streets of Mattru, an unidentified police officer manhandled one of their companions, beating him up soundly.  This act of the police officer, they said, caused them to go on the rampage and rain stones on the police.

Contacted via phone, the principal, Mr. Barrie confirmed the ugly incident but blamed the old boys for inciting the pupils against him, saying that he is suffering from a grand conspiracy orchestrated by the old boys.

By Kadijatu Koroma

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