By: Problyn J. Alpha
The Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Professor Alpha Tejan Wurie has described Paramount Chiefs in Bo district as a clear mantle of Education in the Country.
The Minister made the pronouncement in a National Dialogue session and consultation with Paramount Chiefs across the Country on education development, transforming education and education sector plan organized by the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural
Development held at the Wizzard Conference Hall Dambala Road in Bo.
Professor Wurie maintained that he attended the session amid other busy schedules to support his colleague Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary School Education, Dr. David M Sengeh and Sierra Leone by extension. He commended his colleague Minister for the initiative of bringing the participants together for the success of the clarion call of President Bio’s Free Quality school education in the Country.
He noted that the inclusion of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to organize the said session was very important and laudable owing to the decentralization process which mandates the Local Government to oversee the activities of the Basic and Senior Secondary Education; noting the importance of engaging the Paramount Chiefs across the Country cannot be overemphasized as they will serve as watch dogs for the supply of school materials and the work of teachers thereby actualizing the Ministry’s watchword of radical inclusion.
Whilst disclosing plans of thoroughly renovating the Gbonubu College in Kailahun District, Professor Alpha Tejan Wurie underscored that Paramount Chiefs should be managers of Vocational non-formal education in their respective Chiefdoms.
On her part the acting Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Melrose Kaminty expressed a delight for her Ministry which is charged with the constitutional responsibilities of overseeing both Local and Chieftaincy Councils to have partner with the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education to organize the aforementioned dialogue session.
She maintained that the engagement with the Paramount Chiefs to discuss issues for the success of the Free Quality School Education which is the flagship program of President Bio is a laudable one as the participants will serve as checks and balance for the success of education in their respective Chiefdoms.
Madam Kaminty pleaded with Dr. David M. Sengeh to introduce an electronic device for the Paramount Chiefs for feedback whilst performing their monitoring roles.
On behalf of his colleague Paramount Chiefs Hon. P.C. Amadu Tejan Fasuluku Sonsiama III of Sandor Chiefdom Kono District who also doubles as the National Chairman, Council of Paramount Chiefs foremost described the initiative of the dialogue session as a novelty in his fifteen years rule as Paramount Chief, nothing their inclusion in the implementation of the Free Quality school education will in no doubt make the free quality school education initiative success as a good number of schools and pupils are found in the one hundred and ninety Chiefdoms that constitute Sierra Leone.
He assured the government of Sierra Leone of their fullest support in terms of monitoring the Free Quality school education in their respective Chiefdoms as education and knowledge are tools to empower any nation.
Delivery a statement, the Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary School, Dr. David M. Sengeh maintained that the dialogue session with the Paramount Chiefs across the country is a reflection moment on opportunities that will make the clarion call of President Bio’s Free Quality School education program.
He intimated to the audience that the government of Sierra Leone through the Ministries of Education has considerably affected the infrastructural developments owing to the growing number of school-going pupils; nothing that plans is afoot to do more.
He said twenty-two thousand teachers have been trained; twelve thousand hired all to strengthen the education system in the country, especially in the rural areas. Dr. Sengeh pointed out that the number of pupils that write the external examination every year is very encouraging this he said cannot be unconnected with the school feeding program which has benefited at least six hundred thousand pupils across the Country. In conclusion, Minister Sengeh promised to implement the outcome of the dialogue session for the success of the Free Quality school education in the country
