Koidu City, Eastern Sierra Leone, Saturday 19 January 2019 – His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio has presented teaching and learning materials to support the free quality education programme in Kono district at an event held at the Koidu Girls’ Secondary School, KGSS.
The principal of KGSS, Bernadette Turay, said the free quality education programme was a laudable initiative and that Kono as a district was experiencing a positive result of the gesture, adding that the initiative had supported parents and teachers who could not meet the high fee demands for their children.
She referred to President Bio’s vision, to develop human capital for national development, as a step in the right direction, noting that without education the future of the country would be bleak. She noted that the western world was being admired because they put a premium on education and reiterated that the President was on the right track.
Chairman of the Kono District Council, Sahr Solomon Gbondo, said the free quality education had provided an opportunity for students to go to school without cost consideration for the first time in the history of the country. He recalled that government had pledged to provide core textbooks, adding that the presentation of those books was a testament to the government delivering on its promises.
Mr Gbondo also commended the government for approving a huge number of teachers and schools within the shortest possible time. He said the free quality education was a blessing to the country and therefore urged parents and children to make good use of the opportunity.
President Bio said the presentation ceremony was a manifestation that his government was one with the commitment to develop the country. He said Kono district should consider itself lucky for having a president in him who would think good for the district.
He said teaching and learning materials were key components in the free education programme and that was why his government had made efforts to provide the facility for students across the country. He, therefore, called on parents and teachers to provide the conducive learning environment for children to make themselves useful by acquiring quality education.
“I call on everyone to support and own the free quality education programme by managing and supervising each element of the programme. Parents have the responsibility to ensure compliance with the guidelines set for the safe handling of these materials. After the books, we will bring school buses for the students because we know they need it for safe and quick arrival in schools,” he said.
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