By: Ilyasa Baa
Having been in existence since 2013 and taken the third position with a 100% pass mark at the 2022 NPSE, management of the Heritage Preparatory High School along Azolini Highway in Makeni city is currently not pleased with the low admission of pupils into the school for the 2022/2023 academic year due to the recent strike action in the city.
Speaking to this medium, during an interview at the school campus, the Acting Vice Principal, Andrew Pessima said they were expecting to enroll over a hundred pupils at primary and secondary levels for this academic year. He said the turnout of parents taking their kids for admission, especially into JSS 1, has not been encouraging since last Monday when interviews started for those that passed the public examination. He blamed the low turnout on the economic challenges some of the parents and guardians are facing as well as August 10 demonstration effect on the region. He pointed out that the main challenge the school has been faced with has to do with the payment of fees used for the running of the school. He said although the administration allows parents to make bit by bit payment because of their economic situation, they are still finding it difficult to acquire the resources needed, especially teaching and learning material.
He said the administration is not going to relent no matter the challenges, adding that the Proprietor, Bishop elect Rev. Dr. Sidie Papayo Sesay and the Principal, Mr. Amadu Mitchell Koroma always intervene to upkeep the school so it can continue to produce well-meaning citizens in that part of the country. He said as a private and Christian faith based institution of learning, they are trying to complement government’s effort towards the free quality education launched by the President, Dr. Julius Maada Bio, as the government’s flagship programme. He expressed hope that the Lord will not let them down but will continue to keep the school up and running to provide education for especially the destitute in the community who could not afford to pay fees on time. “I believe in formal education as the back bone or engine of the country’s human capita development”, he stated, noting that the country cannot develop without the education of her citizens especially the young ones who are going to take over after us”, he narrated in confidence. He revealed that the secrete behind the good performance of the school at NPSE and BECE could not be unconnected to the high quality teaching pattern the school had adopted over the years. He informed that the school offers computer literacy as part of its curriculum to catch up with international standard. “In terms of teachers, we have dedicated ones with high qualifications unlike other schools in the region,” Mr. Pessima reiterated.
Heritage School, owned by Salvation of Jesus Army Ministries International (SOJA), it could be recalled, came third at the 2022 NPSE being one of the five top best schools in Bombali district. For the past three years, the school has been doing extremely well in public exams. In 2019, the school came third at NPSE whilst at the BECE, it took the fifth position and since 2020 to date, Heritage school has been taking third position at NPSE. With a population of over three hundred pupils, the learning environment is quite ideal with one of the cheapest and most affordable school fees not exceeding LE 800,000(old currency) for the whole academic.