At a well-attended ceremony in Magburaka, Tonkolili district, under the Education Sector Support Project, the Magburaka Secondary School for Boys will soon get a major facelift.
Chaired by the ceremony was attended on Wednesday, 21 St. June 2023.
Graced by Paramount Chiefs in the Tonkolili district, district directors of education, ministers and other key government functionaries.
The chairman said it was “a historic event for the people of Tonkolili district. “It is a $4.4 million dollars refurbishment fund for Magburaka Secondary School for Boys launched.
Funded by OPEC, BADEA, and Saudi Fund for Development and government of Sierra Leone.
Four schools are been targeted; Bo Government Secondary School, Prince of Wales, Government Secondary School Kenema and Magburaka Secondary School for Boys. That covers all four regions of the country, east, west, north and south. The aggregated total for all four schools is $68 million.
In his opening statement one of the paramount chiefs of the district said they are very excited to be part of the “history – making event.
“He urged the president to consult with them more on pertinent issues and assured him of their support. The refurbishment contract is awarded to Castleton Rhodes Construction and the senior contractor, Milford Rhodes assured that the work will be “Completed in 12 months.
“Six structures are targeted, the administrative building, the multi – purpose building, a new staff quarter, a 15-classroom building, a dormitory and a senior secondary classroom building.
Speaking at the event the board chairman of the school, Amadu Wurie expressed gratitude to President Bio for the free quality education as kids are no longer suspended or expelled from school for non- payment of fees. And that Tonkolili and Magburaka in particular “will forever live to remember him.”
On his part, the Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Prof. Alpha Tejan Wurie reminded the gathering of the increase in the number of pupils who are taking the WASSCE exam from 32,000 in 2018 to 250,000 this year, 2023.
Also, he underscored the increase in recruitment of nurses and this time at the district level under president Bio. He highlighted the other numerous achievements of the president for which he said he “deserves a second term”.
The Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Dr David Moinina Sengeh told the crowd that there is an increase in the pass rate of those who take the WASSCE exam and also the number of students in universities in Sierra Leone now has increased exponentially.
That there is now an effective monitoring of schools and the number of monitors has increased from 13 since 2018 to over 300 now in the academic year 2023.
In his address, President Julius Maada Bio started off by expressing his happiness for being part of the occasion.
He referenced the New York Times, an outstanding newspaper in the world for giving “an upbeat assessment of the situation in Sierra Leone.
The president affirmed that “we have moved from obscurity to relevance” And that he is proud to be a president of a country that has been reelected to the non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council.
That as a government they have reduced maternal mortality by 60%.
That as a country he “does not see the Mendes as SLPP or Temnes as APC but we are all one country and one people.
“President Bio rounded up that his own brand of a politician is different as he does not say the things he cannot do and therefore called on the people of Tonkolili to give him a second term to loud cheers. The vote of thanks was given by the school prefect, Philip S. Kamara.
