Solomon Ekuma Berewa primary school clocks 13
The Solomon Ekuma Berewa Primary School in Charlotte village past Thursday 13th October, 2016 observed the foundation day of the School at a ceremony held at the school ground Charlotte village in the Western rural District.
The Chairman Community Teachers Association (CTA) Ayor Simon Showers said the school was founded on the 13th October 2003 by Mrs. Modu Conteh (nee) Wilson and husband the late Mr. Khabba John Conteh and members of the Charlotte Development Association.
The pupils of Solomon Ekuma Berewa Primary School offered prayers for His Excellency, Ernest Bai Koroma, ministers and MP and the people of Sierra Leone.
He continued that, the school building was erected by the erstwhile government of Sierra Leone under the Ministry of Education Science and Technology and was officially opened by former Vice President. Solomon E. Berewa of the Republic of Sierra Leone on 10th November 2006.
The community teachers chairman recalled that, parents of pupils in the village are low income earners who could not have all what it takes to financing their children to attend distance secondary schools throughout the Academic year for which he appealed to government for the construction of a junior Secondary School.
Showers went further to inform that the community is located in the Mountainous Region in the rural mounting district with fewer Junior Secondary Schools in Regent village stressing that the establishment of one in the region will reduce the burden on parents.
He also reminded that that the school performed well in the previous National Primary School Examinations an indication that, Solomon Ekuma Brewa Primary School deserves a junior Secondary School.
Deputy Headman of the village, Akie Bola Taylor who gave a short history of the village pointed out that the village was founded by an English colonial master Annie Walsh in 1818 and in 1841 the St John Evangelist Church started a small private School called the Annie Walsh in the village with eight (8) girls on the roll by Anni Walsh who was reported later died in a road accident in England.
He said her death resulted to the parents and relatives of the Late Annie Walsh raised contributions to form a memorial trust fund that was used to build the current Annie Walsh Memorial School on Kissy Road in 1865.
The Deputy Headman highlighted the deplorable state of the two roads that leads to the village adding that the culverts at the gate-way to the village collapses over decades without any support from government noting that village has no community Centre and no Police post.
He furthered revealed that residents in the community only rely on the cultivation of vegetables for which he appealed to the Ministry of agriculture to support gardeners with fertilizers, tools and seeds to enable them become financial equip to pay the school charges of their children
The deputy headman also recalled that the community is prone to water borne disease due to the absent of pipe borne water but also recalled that there were Guma pipes connected to the village before but all have collapsed as a result of lack of maintenance, called on the Sierra Leone Roads Authority (SLRA) to help cover the hole at the playing field drugged by the road construction company to enable the children and youth have access to the facility.
Head Master of the school, Pastor Gibril Kamara expressed appreciation to the event and praised the founding members and teachers who dedicated their lives only to ensure that the community regain its past glory, pointing out that the need for a Junior Secondary School need not be overemphasized considering the large number of pupils in secondary school than those that are currently in primary schools adding that the mountain rural district requires more secondary schools to help the community forge ahead.
The foundation ceremony was climax by the pouring of libation for the ancestors of the village including the parents of the founder, late Mr. Modu Wilson and wife Sarah Wilson late husband of the founder Mr. Khabba Conteh amongst others followed by a visit to the relics of the Annie Walsh Memorial Secondary school.
It could be recalled that charlotte village was struck by a devastating landslide in the 19th century which resulted to the loss of lives with property worth thousands of pounds in those days missing. Eight houses were also reported destroyed by the disaster. The Sierra Leone Daily Mail proprietors and other philanthropists were reported to have come to the aided of the victims with the provision of food stuff, clothing and shelter.
The village is historic for been the first community where the first secondary school was established by the Christian missionary society in addition to host one of the potential waterfalls where the hydro dam is currently constructed.
The landslide left many people abandoned the village not until the election of Mrs. Modu Conteh (nee) Wilson as head woman of the village with support from her Charlotte Development Association that led to the construction of the school and health clinic respectively.
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