Sierra Leone must revive public education

The ministry of education, youth and sports is entrusted with the mandate to supervise education in Sierra Leone. Evidently, it has done a lousy job, having failed to provide a high standard of education – especially for the perennially deprived and at risk kids in this tiny, former British colony, and war torn nation. Education is the incubator and vanguard that would drive development and the economic engine to freedom, and unshackle the undeveloped mind: Like the key that opens up closed doors. Education prepared Barack Obama to rise to the pinnacle of power and fame, and become president of the United States. He’s the most powerful man in the world. A child that washes its hands clean will dine with kings and queens. To articulate it poetically: Knowledge marinated with discipline is the palm kernel that nurtures a healthy and rational mind. In a sovereignty that is desperately searching for its lost soul, and once admired legacy.

Public education is broken in this recovering nation, where teachers are functionally the Cinderella. They are the poster child of disrespect and indignity, working a thankless job that nobody else wants. They cannot compete with the rest of society for decent housing or an optimum lifestyle. This society gives them very little, but expects the highest standards of integrity and professionalism from them. But who’s looking out for them during these terrible times: Is this how we want to be remembered?

Private schools, on the other hand, provide a far better quality of education for their kids. They have deep pockets with a vested interest, and the tenacity and goodwill to advocate for a reasonable limit to government control. Some private schools do not take part in state run public exams. And even opt for foreign exams conducted in London or other examination boards. The haves can afford to send their children to colleges and universities in the west – mostly to England and the United States – to acquire the best education that money could buy, on completion of secondary education at private schools.

Trained and qualified teachers will continue to migrate to private schools, where the haves send their kids to school – unlike the have-nots who attend poverty-stricken and rundown public schools. Society has carved the moniker ‘poor, unpaid teachers’ when referring to teachers within the public school system. Comparatively, private school teachers earn remunerative salaries with benefits, and they usually get paid on time.

Historically, the private sector, including NGOs, has done more justice to education than the government: because of the passion and dedication to make a difference educating kids from diverse backgrounds. Government has grown more complex, lacks sufficient funding and is inefficient in running the schools effectively. Probably, returning government-assisted schools to their previous owners or managers is a plausible vision, with limited control over privately funded schools.

Mission schools, like NGOs, have invested a fortune in primary, secondary and tertiary education and produced credible results, instilling a passion for discipline and high standards with integrity. Since the complete takeover by government, these institutions have taken a nose dive and have never recovered. The indictment from critics that the delivery of public education has been politicised by government is a legitimate one. Government bureaucracy and its tardiness to implement the necessary policies in a timely way, have forced some philanthropists to opt out of privately funded education for good.

The introduction of the 6-3-3-4 education system, by the previous administration of former President Tejan Kabba, in which primary education runs for six years, followed by secondary education that is divided into two three-year cycles. The first cycle leads to the Basic Education Certificate Examination, while the second segment leads to the Senior School Certificate Examination, which gives access to higher education, offered by the University of Sierra Leone (comprising institutes) and its constituent colleges, teacher-training colleges, and a technical institute. They fall under the umbrella of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports.

This innovation, replicated from Ghana’s framework, has stalled because of inefficient planning and inadequate funding. A nation that is still picking up the pieces of war lacked the capacity to implement such a huge capital-intensive program, with its infrastructure in serious ruins, and desperately gasping for life support. The current president, Ernest Bai Koroma, who was himself a teacher – though briefly – has expressed dismay and disappointment at the nation’s failing educational system. He has set up a commission to study its shortcomings, make recommendations to fix the broken system, and turn around the dismal performance of students in public examinations. A very disastrous performance put up by the nation in two consecutive public examinations, while competing with other West Africa nations, is disgraceful and unacceptable. In Sierra Leone, schools are measured by their performances at public examinations, and the calibre of students they produce.

A report from a research conducted jointed by UNICEF and the Education Ministry revealed that about 300,000 school children are out of school in Sierra Leone. Earlier report had estimated that about 375, 000 kids – mostly girls from rural and city schools – dropped out of school. The decrease in the dropout rate is attributed to the establishment of community schools and the passion and generosity of NGOs in the diaspora, including former child soldier Ishmael Beah, who has built a school in his village through his foundation. He also donated about US$22,000 to help fight illiteracy and make education available and accessible, especially to the mentally and physically challenged kids and orphans in Sierra Leone.

The drop out rate is disturbing to people with a heart. The systemic malaise of poverty continues to dog the suffering and less fortunate folk. Child labour is a prevalent factor that prevents children from going to school. These children mostly girls, have become peddlers, or take part in petty trading, to help their parents generate the needed income. Teenage pregnancy and very early marriage to older men is not at all uncommon. Parents cannot afford to provide their children’s basic needs, including books, uniforms and school supplies even though primary education is officially free. The boys fetch water in five-gallon containers, to sell for about a dollar to the highest bidder. The proceeds would help to provide their basic needs. But government lacks the muscle to make education its highest priority, with due respect for the teachers who deliver this indispensable service to a society that does not appreciate the opportunity cost to teachers in this chronically poor nation. Lip service and empty rhetoric is not going to rehabilitate a system that is in dire need for life support. Only drastic and expedited actions, mapping out practical solutions can save public education in Sierra Leone. At their daily devotion the children recite the Lord’s Prayer. The telling verse below evokes passion and compassion:

‘Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.’

The kids’ faces tell a bleak story. Some of them did not have breakfast, and there is no guarantee that they will receive lunch. Most teachers make about Le 250,000 monthly (less than US$75). Some have not received their salaries for about four months to a year. And they feed their faces with artery clogging secretions. About two weeks ago, Dr Nyallay, the deputy minister of education youth and sports, paid out a backlog of salaries to 617 teachers approved since the 2006/2007 academic year. These teachers are in the south, east and western rural parts of the country. But the Sierra Leone Teachers Union claimed that about 4,000 teachers have not been paid for about a year.

Earlier, it was reported in Awoko news paper on 21 August 2009 that a despondent Roman Catholic primary school teacher in Dia Town in the Kissi Kama Chiefdom, in Kailahun District, Tamba Borbor, who was not paid for two years hanged himself with the sleeves of his shirt, tied around his neck onto a tree. His body was discovered dangling on the tree by local farmers. Tamba was going through very hard times and had borrowed money from creditors. He was fooled repeatedly by school authorities that his name was not on the school voucher, but on that of a neighbouring school close to Guinea. He made the long trip there, only to find out that he was again duped by the school officials. Returning home feeling very depressed and worthless, he decided to end this nightmare of shame and disgrace. It’s therapeutic to humanise those who have been demonised.

This chronic problem of late payment of salaries could be alleviated by computerising the accounting system to expedite the processing of employment papers. Before, the schools would pay new teachers from their own funds and government would later reimburse them, once the papers are approved. Other government employees too face similar contempt. Corruption is endemic and fleshy here. Ghost teachers regularly appear in large numbers on school vouchers, receiving salaries on payday. They include electricians, plumbers, security personnel, who were registered to pose as teachers. This is not a novelty to most Sierra Leoneans. High profile greedy government officials have teamed up with dishonest school authorities to siphon money from the nation’s treasury. In some cases, payments have been made to ghost teachers at fictitious institutions, in a scheme that is the brainchild of ingenious senior education officials. How can such a treasonable act escape the watchful eyes of independent auditors, and the perceived vigilant anti-corruption truth and justice squad?

The argument that government has no money to fund education in this donor driven economy, is bogus. Politicians and their cronies live eye-popping lifestyles, nursing an obsession for items that are status symbols, riding the latest models of Hummer SUVs that cost about US$30,000–$63,000. The selected and connected access a sea of foreign currencies, especially the highly favoured women who can afford to go on shopping sprees, spending about US$40,000 at Macy’s in the US, or the designer stores in London. But where are they getting the money from? Sierra Leoneans in the diaspora and folk back home are asking: How comes we work so hard, yet we cannot afford such a flamboyant lifestyle? It’s the power of their example and not the example of their power that inspires and motivates the nation. Are the politicians serving the populace or is the populace serving them? Who calls anyone civilised, where can the crying heart graze? What should the honest patriot do now? Indeed the truth is bald and cold.

A prescription to salvage the present enigma is to start building this ailing system from the bottom up. Primary and secondary education should be made affordable. Tap into the reservoir of Sierra Leonean experts in the US, who are proficient in their various disciplines. They would love to give back to their motherland by helping to fix the outmoded and failing system. But they would need a free hand to work unhindered, free from political pressure. They have proven record of successes. Include among these Professor Eustace Palmer, Professor Abioseh M. Porter, Professor Abdul Karim Bangura, Dr Francis Nichol and Dr Yvonne Atiba-Davies. The list is in no way exhaustive. Whether it is English, reading and writing skills, math skills or computer science and technology, they have the gray matter to innovate and inspire the students back home, who are thirsty for fresh and modern skills that would make the learning process exciting and rewarding. I hope President Ernest Bai Koroma will deem it urgent and necessary to request their expertise, and tap into their invaluable skills and professionalism. If education is cumbersome or expensive, who wants to try ignorance?

BROUGHT TO YOU BY PAMBAZUKA NEWS

* Roland Bankole Marke is a Sierra Leonean writer, poet and author of three books. He is an activist for the poor, disadvantaged children and women and gives voice to the voiceless.
* Please send comments to [email protected] or comment online at Pambazuka News.