By: Fatmata Grace Okekearu, Bo City
In his continued commitment to advancing quality education within his constituency, Hon. Alhaji Yusuf Macury, Member of Parliament, donated seven bundles of zinc, several packets of roofing nails, and an undisclosed sum of money to support the rehabilitation of the United Methodist Church (UMC) Primary School in Messima Section, Bo City, over the weekend.
Addressing a cross-section of school officials and community members, Hon. Macury explained that his donation was part of his personal effort to restore one of the school’s long-abandoned buildings, which had been in a dilapidated state for years. He clarified that this support was separate from the intervention he had already requested from the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA* to assist with the school’s rehabilitation.
The Member of Parliament emphasized that his initiative was in line with the government’s Free Quality Education program under President Julius Maada Bio, which aims to make education accessible and affordable for all Sierra Leonean children. He also pledged to donate an additional ten bags of cement to aid the ongoing construction of toilet facilities at the school.
“A letter was sent to me through one of my constituency executive members, requesting assistance for the rehabilitation or reconstruction of the school,” Hon. Macury said. “After visiting the site to assess the situation, I reported it to NDMA for prompt intervention, and the Agency has assured me that their support will arrive soon.”
During the ceremony, Hon. Macury also addressed the growing issue of kush (synthetic drugs) abuse among young people in the community. He condemned the trend and noted that the government has taken strong measures to address it by targeting the entire supply chain of illicit substances.
On behalf of the UMC Mission, the Coordinator of Heads of UMC Primary Schools expressed deep gratitude to Hon. Macury for his timely and generous support. He explained that the abandoned classroom block had caused significant congestion in the remaining school structures, making teaching and learning very challenging. The donation, he said, would enable the community to begin rehabilitation work while awaiting further intervention from the NDMA.
He also highlighted the troubling issue of vandalism and theft at the school, often perpetrated by youths involved in the kush trade.
“These youths often break into classrooms and offices, stealing school furniture and selling it as firewood to fund their addiction,” he disclosed. “Although some of them and their agents were arrested with the help of the police, many are still at large, and our safety remains at risk.”
After his visit to the UMC Primary School, Hon. Macury also conducted an assessment tour of the SLUM Primary School in the Manjama community, in response to a similar request for assistance from that school’s administration.
The lawmaker reaffirmed his commitment to collaborating with educational stakeholders and development partners to ensure that children in Bo have access to safe, conducive, and well-equipped learning environments.