By Rev. Dr. Paul Bala Samura
The government of Sierra Leone must intentionally improve its educational system. Recently, each government has had many ministers and other officials with terminal degrees (Doctorates), which is excellent. But is this resonating with the educational standards? When did you hear a minister commenting on education, schools, teachers, management, etc.? Today, we will continue our conversation on how to improve education in Sierra Leone.
- The government should promote inclusive education.
a). Enhance special education, including providing adequate resources and support for students with special needs, ensuring they have equal access to quality education.
b). Enhance diverse learning styles, including recognizing and accommodating diverse learning styles and needs within the classroom. In June 2023, a parent registered his daughter in a school in Indiana who was supposed to begin classes in August 2023. The parent secured her visa, but the child could not travel for strange reasons. Upon contacting the school about the child, the school recommended that the child enroll in the class while in Sierra Leone, which she did. She created a student account and began classes. They scheduled each course for six weeks, with a quiz after each topic, a midterm test after fifty percent work, and a final exam. The course teacher (Indiana, USA) supervises her on the exam day via Zoom. While writing the exam, the student cannot access her phone or any electronic device, or she will fail. Through this method, she finished two courses (English and Social Studies) while in Sierra Leone and finished coursework for Algebra 1 but took the exam in Indiana. She could join the other students with the same number of courses. The school promoted her to a new grade the day schools closed. Is this common in our schools?
c). Promote cultural relevance by developing a culturally relevant curriculum that reflects the diversity of the student population and promotes inclusivity. Some years ago, the Ministry of Education introduced two additional ways to assess students: affective and psychomotor. They also introduced a continuous assessment teacher for each school to promote and grade affective and psychomotor skills. I was teaching at the Sierra Leone International Mission School, Old Wharf, when the Ministry introduced the A.P. system, which thrived for a while. Over the years, schools have not had C.A. teachers, and the regular teachers were responsible for assessing students. The result has been poorer than ever because the colleges do not have A.P. in the teacher training curriculum. After reading this article, visit a school, pick up a pupil/student’s card, and flash your eyes to the Affective and Psychomotor section. The numbers (grades) follow a pattern, such as 4444444, 3333333, or 222222, depending on the teacher’s mood for that day. The Ministry created the A.P. to assess students’ performance outside the classroom and their personality traits.
- The government increases funding and resources.
a). The government must ensure adequate funding by advocating for increased funding for schools to ensure they have the necessary resources, including up-to-date textbooks, laboratory equipment, and technology. Can you remember the 2024 WASSCE English Language question about the ‘lack of functional laboratories in schools’? What percentage of the annual budget goes to education, such as elementary and secondary education? Is Sierra Leone dependent on donor funds for education? Donor funds can be adequate when they help make domestically funded programs more efficient and encourage investment in practical programs. However, countries often deal with many donors, making coordinating and harmonizing aid flows difficult. Some organizations fund education in Africa, including 1) USAID. Their funds help to build the skills and knowledge of teachers, trainers, and education administrators. 2) UNICEF – they support building new schools, renovating existing ones, and providing access to clean water and sanitary facilities. They also support early education centers. 3) World Bank – which supports programs that have helped increase access to education, such as eliminating primary school fees.
- The Ministry should engage parents and communities.
a). Parent involvement enhances their children’s education through regular communication, parent-teacher meetings, and participation in school activities. How many parents have contact information for their children’s teachers and principals/head teachers? Dear reader, ask ten parents around you if they have the telephone numbers of the teachers of their children. Also, stop by a school and ask the principal or headteachers for the contact information of the parents of their students. Each class register should include a) the name of the student, b) the date of birth, c) sex, d) the name of the parent/guardian, e) the address, g) the telephone number, and h) the email address. This information will appear in the application for each student.
If this complete information is unavailable now, the Ministry of Basic Education can create a method to capture it. Design an application form (for new applicants) or Re-assessment form, which each school will distribute to students or parents (for new admissions). When the school receives all the forms, computerize and store them. Or print a booklet for each class and a comprehensive register for the school administration. Remember, we are in the digitalized age; school administrations should endeavor to utilize it for effective school management.
Do administrators involve parents in school management and activities? As a school teacher, I noticed that the only time the school involved parents was for their money: payment fees, money for sports, and envelopes for other activities.
Most school administrators don’t know or ignore that many are serving teachers or former teachers, which means they have the knowledge and skills to improve education. Therefore, these parents would be a great resource that school heads should harness. Principals and headteachers should engage some parents and ask for their contributions beyond money.
b). School administrators should create community partnerships with local businesses, non-profits, and community organizations to support educational initiatives and provide additional learning opportunities. In Sierra Leone, thousands of organizations (foreign and domestic) are available to support schools in their areas of operation. How do I request their support? Please do not ask for their money; it will create suspicion and damage the relationship. Instead, invite the heads of the targeted organization to visit the school and take them on a tour, both in the classrooms and outside. Then, present your priority list of projects with concrete budgets and let them choose their favorite project.
Education is not a solitary function of the government or school heads but requires concerted efforts.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Copyright –Published in print in Expo Times Newspaper on Monday, June 10th , 2024 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)