By: Fayia Jr. Moseray
In a strong display of humanitarian commitment, the proactive Councillor for Constituency 127 covering Sumaila Town, Dwarzack, Mongolay, and Sorie Town Communities in Freetown Councillor Abdulai S.S. Conteh, has donated essential building materials to the aging Ansarul Islamic Primary School located in the heart of Sumaila Town.
The donation, which comes as a timely intervention ahead of the new academic year, aims to address the school’s appalling infrastructural condition.
The presentation ceremony was held on Friday, September 5, 2025, within the school compound, and was witnessed by the school’s head teacher, a founding member of the institution, teaching staff, pupils, and both past and present constituency secretary generals.
The donated materials valued at over Le15,000 (new Leones) included one bundle of zinc roofing sheets, five 50kg bags of cement, a rubber container of paint, and a carton of ceiling nails, all aimed at commencing vital roof and structural repairs.
Welcoming the donation, the dedicated Head Teacher, Madam Rugiatu Kargbo (Mrs), expressed heartfelt appreciation to Councillor Conteh, noting that the intervention comes at a critical time when the school is grappling with leaking roofs, broken benches, and general structural decay.
“I want to profoundly thank the Councillor for responding to our call at such short notice,” she said. “However, we still need more support if we are to provide a truly conducive learning environment for the children.”
She used the opportunity to call on community stakeholders, non-indigenes, and alumni of the school to rally behind efforts to give the institution a much-needed facelift.
Alhaji Ibrahim Rogers, one of the school’s founding members, also commended the gesture but emphasized that the scale of infrastructural issues requires more substantial support.
“We are very happy about this generous donation, but this alone is not enough to address the current challenges,” he stated. “We appeal to the government, past pupils, and community members to step in and rescue this vital community asset.”
Former and current constituency secretary generals Mohamed M. Koroma and Yusufu Vamboi also praised Councillor Conteh for his strategic intervention. They acknowledged the limited financial resources allocated to councillors through the Freetown City Council (FCC), and pledged continued support for educational development across the constituency.
In his keynote address, Councillor Abdulai S.S. Conteh acknowledged the severe state of the school infrastructure and pledged continued personal and political support.
“The Ansarul Primary School has served hundreds of residents, both past and present, including local leaders,” he remarked. “Those of us from Sumaila Town have either directly or indirectly benefitted from this great institution, and we owe it our support.”
He also promised to lobby both the FCC and the central government for broader interventions to restore and expand the school’s facilities. He appealed to former pupils, philanthropists, and humanitarian organizations to contribute to the transformation of the school.
Adding to the concerns, Idrissa Kargbo (a teacher) and Mabinty Dumbuya (a primary six pupil) expressed their frustrations. They highlighted how the broken roofing sheets, unstable benches, and deteriorating classrooms have made learning unsafe and uncomfortable.
They warned that unless urgent renovations are undertaken, parents might withdraw their children from the school out of safety concerns.
The collective voices of the staff, pupils, and community stakeholders serve as a strong call to action for government authorities, the FCC, development partners, and philanthropic individuals to intervene and provide lasting solutions to keep the Ansarul Islamic Primary School safe, functional, and open for learning.