St. Joseph’s Secondary School Gets Six Classroom Blocks

By Augustine Bamie Anthony

Communications Specialist, MBSSE

The recent inauguration ceremony at St. Joseph’s Secondary School in Freetown marked a significant milestone in Sierra Leone’s Free Quality Education initiative. The event celebrated the official handover of a newly constructed block of six classrooms, equipped with modern furniture designed to enhance the learning environment and improve interactions between teachers and students. This advancement aims to address classroom overcrowding and reinforces the Ministry’s commitment to expanding educational access nationwide. The facility was built by the Free Education Project Secretariat (FEPS) with support from the Multi-Donor Trust Fund, supervised by the World Bank.

During the ceremony, the Chief Education Officer Mr. Edward M. Kpakra delivered an impactful keynote address, highlighting the importance of delivering high-quality education to every child in Sierra Leone a commitment rooted in the 2018 educational initiative. Mr. Kpakra outlined the core objectives of the Free Quality Education framework, emphasizing four essential pillars: universal access, comprehensive safety, radical inclusion, and quality teaching. These guiding principles ensure that education in Sierra Leone is both accessible and equitable, fostering a nurturing and supportive learning atmosphere. His compelling message resonated with attendees, affirming the belief that every child deserves an education of high quality, regardless of their background or circumstances.

He also underscored the crucial role of partnerships in realizing the ministry’s educational goals, expressing gratitude to various stakeholders, particularly the World Bank, for their financial contributions that facilitated the construction of the new classroom facilities. Mr. Kpakra acknowledged the support of the Free Education Project Secretariat (FEPS) in aspects such as teacher training and infrastructure development, stressing the necessity of collaboration to tackle the educational challenges confronting Sierra Leone.

The ceremony included messages of appreciation from several stakeholders, reflecting the community’s commitment to the school. Both the School Principal and the Chairman of the Board of Governors expressed their gratitude for the new facilities and their anticipated positive impact on students’ learning experiences. Civil Society representative, Alphonso Manley, Executive Director of the Civil Rights Coalition, urged the school administration to manage the new resources prudently. The event concluded with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) and St. Joseph’s Secondary School, solidifying their commitment to effective management of the facility.