By: Modou Touray
The principal of Al-Huda Quranic Memorization School in Farato, Oustas Saikou Fatajo, has told The Fatu Network in an exclusive interview that lessons have been suspended as a result of a fire outbreak. Electrical fault was said to be the cause of the fire.
According to him, pupils were asked to go home hence teaching, learning and other materials were destroyed.
“The fire started around 1pm shortly before the Friday congregational prayers. I was away and other teachers and students had gone to the mosque. Beds, mattress, suitcases containing clothes of children were all burnt. The only clothes left with the children is the one they put on at the time of going to the mosque.”
The principal further said that 30 children are accommodated in the shelter which the fire ravaged. It contains valuable materials normally brought to the school by parents.
The exact value of the damage is yet to be established, but the principal estimated approximately that more than half a million dalasi is required to repair the damages and replace other appliances as well as teaching and learning materials.
“We did the preliminary estimation concerning the amount of money required to repair the building and other things. It’s a lot of money but we calculated more than half a million dalasis. It might even be more than that.”
Few teachers housed at the school now use the school mosque as a temporary shelter.
“Our school is a boarding school. The fire outbreak has affected the leaning process because lessons have been interrupted. For now, we are not sure when we will resume because people are making promises, but fulfilment is another thing.”
Principal Fatajo appealed for urgent support hence the school administration lacks the financial strength to take care of the cost involved in restoring the destroyed properties.
“We are requesting for assistance both in cash and in kind from government, organizations and individuals so that we can resume as soon as possible”
An emergency response team from the red cross Brikama branch visited the scene on Friday and offered first-aid support, carried out by Red Cross branch head, Mr Sheriffo Mbye, and his team of volunteers.
“The Red Cross gave us praying mates and a ballot of second-hand clothes.”
According to Lamin Mbye, an electrician, fire outbreaks caused by electricity is normally due to faulty electrical outlets or worn-out sockets that are not properly grounded. He added that as outlets and switches get older, the wiring behind them wear out as well, causing fire incidents.
Fire outbreak, he said, is a sudden increase in fire and if not properly controlled can destroy lives and properties.
Quranic memorization centres nurture children to fully understand the holy Quran at an early stage. One of the reasons for boarding is to enable children to concentrate, thereby making teaching and leaning fast and effective.
