BY MOHAMED M. SESAY
Blind and visually impaired students, teachers and the entire administration of the Educational Centre for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ECBVI) situated at Grafton, Western Area Rural District, have called on President Julius Maada Bio and the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary School Education for a school bus service for the school.
The appeal was made on Wednesday the 30th of March 2022, at the school grounds.
In his request, the Principal and Executive Director of the Educational Centre for the Blind and Visually Impaired Thomas Alieu, emphasized that the School Administration and the Board of Governors, urgently and humbly appeal to President Bio and the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, for an official School Bus to take their Blind Students and Staff to and from school.
He added that their humble appeal is against a couple of unfortunate shortcomings which continue to pose serious and delicate challenges for the school.
Thomas Alieu furthered that since the school was established in 2001 and approved in 2007, the school has remained the only Special Needs School without mobility support from government.
He revealed that during the just concluded sit at home by commercial drivers; the Blind Students were seriously constrained which prevented them from attending school on that day.
The Principal continued that since the school is hoping to have a Boarding Home, the students and teachers often experience difficulties and high cost of transportation fares to and from school. He added that 75% of the students and staff commute between Grafton Township, Neighboring Communities such as Jui, FTC, Hastings, Wellington, Calaba Town, Allen Town, Rokel and even some coming from the City of Freetown. Sadly enough, Thomas Alieu disclosed that the school has lost two students over the years as a result of vehicular accidents.
He further expressed that they are very unhappy and felt unfairly treated and discriminated to understand that five Special Needs Schools were identified and given School Buses. He expressed his dismay that the Educational Centre for the Blind and Visually Impaired and the Vocational Training School for the Blind in Kenema were deliberately left out.
The Principal also noted that Special Needs Schools without Boarding Homes should also be prioritized for the allocation of such essential facilities since their Blind Students are commuters on the road to school on daily basis.
“We do hope and trust in the wisdom of President Bio and the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, for prudent consideration in providing our institution with a School Bus that will assure our students of their safety and prompt attendance of school”, he concluded.
