By: Alieu Jallow
Recognizing the importance of early childhood education and the crucial role it plays in fostering young minds, Madiana Besiyaka Nursery School in Madiana, Kombo South, has called for support as the school grapples with a poor teaching and learning environment.
According to the teacher in charge, Fatou Bojang, the nursery school was initiated to provide early education and care to young children, giving them a foundation for a successful future as the school in the village, with the nearest primary school approximately 4 km away.
The young lady, who is struggling to even receive a proper salary, noted concerns that the school is grappling with a deteriorating roof of raffia palm that leaks whenever it rains. Similarly, she had to improvise furniture by using planks or timber and cement blocks for children to sit on during teaching and learning, which, according to her, is not suitable for young children.
“The school consists of unfinished classrooms with no furniture, very terrible windows, raffia leaves as a roof, an uneven floor with slopes, and the school lacks proper chalkboards that will facilitate proper teaching and learning. The sad reality is that our students are kids and deserve to be taught in a conducive environment,” she decried.
Madam Bojang further outlined that learning activities are mostly disrupted due to the poor condition of the school, especially during the rainy season.
“The problem that we are encountering recently is the lack of furniture, teaching boards, and the floor is not well prepared. With our 75 pupils in one block classroom that is without a roof, when it rains, our classes are disrupted.”
Additionally, she and her colleague decried the lack of proper teaching materials such as books, chalk, and educational resources, thus forcing them to levy D100 per term to buy some of the materials, which has affected their overall education and development. She said that teachers sometimes go without a salary for months, as their salaries are derived from the D100 fees levied on pupils, but the community and parents decried poverty.
“The community and the school agreed to levy D100 per term for a child. From that money, I’m paid, and the balance is used to buy chalks, a drinking bucket, a duster, and a register. But this was only once, after which the payment was never forthcoming, and if you ask parents, they will always tell you that they don’t have money. I have been teaching without a salary simply because of the love I have for these children.”
The nursery school plays a crucial role in the community by providing early education and care to young children, giving them a foundation for a successful future. However, without a good roofing structure, suitable furniture, and teaching materials, the school’s ability to fulfill its mission is severely compromised.
Miss Bojang said the authorities must take immediate action to address the dire needs of the nursery school in Madiana, as providing a safe and conducive learning environment is not only a basic necessity but also a fundamental right for every child. The future of these young children should not be jeopardized; thus, schools should allow the authorities and philanthropists to come to their aid as they resume school after the summer holidays.
“We hope that our plight will be addressed, and your support will do so much for our school and, most of all, for our pupils. This will surely benefit not just the school community but also the community that our school serves to shape the younger generation to make a significant difference for a better future,” she appeals.
