By Richmond B Tholley
Over two hundred pupils attending a primary school in Kholifa Mabang Chiefdom, Northern Sierra Leone have not returned to school after authorities in the Chiefdom have lucked the school thereby depriving the kids of to access the school building.
Weeks after schools have reopened, our medium has uncovered that all of the pupils attending the Benevolent Islamic Primary School in Kumrabai Station – a strategic town in Kholifa Mabang Chiefdom where the school is located have not returned to school.
Parents and guardians who spoke to this reporter said they’re worried because it is almost a month since schools have reopened, and their children couldn’t go to school, while children in other parts of the country are in schools learning.
“You can’t believe that our children have not returned to school for weeks after schools have reopened. No learning and teaching is ongoing even though some of the teachers are paid by the government,” an anonymous parent said.
In Kholifa Mabang Chiefdom, exposing matters of this nature is considered risky, and therefore all of the parents spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons.
This ugly development that has deprived their children, the parents said was because of an ongoing fracas between some members of the community and the Benevolent mission.
After several attempts to settle the impasse between the community and the mission have failed the authorities in the Chiefdom, sources said, closed the school and handed over the keys to one of the chiefs.
“And as we speak, the school is closed, and the kids are not going to school,” an anonymous community member said.
For decades now, the Benevolent Mission has been in charge of the school in Kumrabai, until recently, when some community members decided that the Benevolent Mission be replaced and that the community take charge of the school.
