BY PROBLYN J ALPHA (Kono)
The Koidu School for the Blind, located in Sierra Leone, is on the brink of closure as a result of the government’s failure to provide timely financial support. Reports indicate that the institution has remained shuttered for the past seven to eight weeks, depriving visually impaired students of essential education.
Principal Philip Deen Sesay has voiced concerns over the dire situation, attributing the school’s closure to the government’s recent decision to delay sending subventions to blind schools across the country. Traditionally, the government has disbursed funds per term to support the operation of these institutions. However, the absence of timely financial aid has left the Koidu School for the Blind, along with others in the region, in a precarious position.
Sesay lamented the impact of the prolonged closure on the students, noting that many have been forced to return to their families due to the lack of access to education and basic necessities. With eight out of twelve weeks already lost in the second term of the 2023/2024 academic year, the urgency of the situation cannot be overstated.
Efforts to address the issue with government officials have thus far yielded no tangible results. Sesay disclosed that despite repeated discussions with senior staff at the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education in Freetown and submission of formal requests, there has been no indication of progress. This bureaucratic inertia has left both students and faculty in a state of uncertainty.
Of particular concern is the impact on female students, whose educational needs may differ from their male counterparts. Sesay emphasized the importance of gender-sensitive interventions to ensure that all students, regardless of gender, have equal access to education.
In light of these challenges, the school administration has issued a plea to the government of Sierra Leone and its partners for urgent assistance. The provision of financial support is essential to not only sustain the operation of the Koidu School for the Blind but also to safeguard the future of its students.
As the academic year progresses, swift action is needed to prevent further disruptions to the education of visually impaired children in Sierra Leone. The government must prioritize the timely disbursement of subventions to ensure that institutions like the Koidu School for the Blind can fulfill their vital role in empowering disadvantaged students.
The fate of these students hangs in the balance, underscoring the pressing need for immediate intervention to avert a crisis in the education sector.
