By: Ilyasa Baa
The parents of pupils attending the Alhadi Islamic Secondary School in Binkolo, Safroko Limba Chiefdom in Constituency 034, have pleaded with well-wishers and the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education to come on board and help finish the building to be used as Senior Secondary (SSS).
There is only one Senior Secondary School in Binkolo to accommodate those that pass the Basic Entrance Certificate Examination (BECE) and promote to senior secondary school. Muslims in the area have expressed the need for an Islamic faith-based senior secondary school where their children can be given more Islamic training.
On Thursday, the parents had a successful meeting with the school authorities to discuss the way forward in respect of the ongoing construction of the SSS level which started years back. According to the school authority, they have explained to the parents how far the construction work has gone, and what remains for its completion.
A parent, Pa Brima Kamara said they have been putting their resources into the school since it started at a tarpaulin structure. He narrated that stakeholders of the Muslim Jamaat in Binkolo had to reach out to people to contribute towards the construction of the Islamic school.
Alhaji Mohamed Jawara, another parent told this medium that it had been established that pupils of Alhadi school do extremely well when attending the school. Still, no sooner they leave the school to participate in SSS in another school, their performances drop drastically. He said at the school, the pupils are prepared to follow Islam strictly.
Haja Serah Conteh called on the government of President Maada Bio to come to their aid so that pupils of the school who pass the BECE will continue at the school. “We don’t like to see our children leaving us to attend school in Makeni, Bo or Magburaka”, Mammy Serah expressed, noting that it has led to teenage pregnancies beyond their control.
The Primary level came into being in 1996 after indigenes of Binkolo stood up firm for the extension of their Masjid to accommodate pupils of the school at that time. The secondary level came into existence much later with the donation of former Inspector General of Police Brima Acha Kamara (late) of some bundles of zinc.
The Bursar for Junior Secondary School (JSS), Sorie Jawara, had said parents were asked to contribute Fifty thousand Leones each to start the construction of the SSS building. “Teachers and the parents have been working to put up this structure, he said, noting that they want to continue with their pupils from primary until they take the WASSCE.
It could be recalled that the JSS building was constructed through the SABABU Project implemented during Pa Kabba’s SLPP regime.
