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Regent Rural Education Community Primary School
05/08/2008
The Chair, Isa Davies, undertook a fact-finding visit to Sierra Leone during April/May 2008. The aim of the visit was to get an insight into projects that the Trust had been involved in, as well as to determine the extent of the need for proposed new projects. On Tuesday 6th May 2008, during the Chair's fact-finding visit, she also visited, together with Esther Roberts (one of the Sierra Leone Trustees) the Regent Rural Education Community Primary School.
Upon arrival at the school, we found that the children were in assembly — outside! Due to the very poor state of the school's premises they have not yet been able to construct a building where they can hold assembly. After assembly the children made their way to their various classrooms. The Head Teacher gave us a tour of the school.
The internal condition of the school is in dire need of refurbishment. During the previous night/early hours of the morning there had been a deluge downpour; as it is the rainy season in Sierra Leone such weather conditions are quite usual. We experienced first hand what these children undergo. The three classrooms with 'breeze blocks' had become a 'swimming pool' to which the children had to sit huddled with at least 4/5 to a desk, feet submerged in water! The other classrooms had Celotex tiles missing so again the rain had poured in. The entire school is rat infested, bringing with it unimaginable risks to children of such tender ages! The classrooms are very dingy, dark and depressing.
The Headmaster is very compassionate who has the school, community and most importantly, the children's interest at heart; very caring for his pupils and staff. The children are encouraged by the Headmaster to grow local seasonal vegetables using this practice also builds up their mathematics and science lessons.
The school has a library. It was suggested during our tour that this library could be converted to a classroom that would then give the children additional space.
Poverty is very prevalent in this school. A number of children go to school with no shoes, no food, meagre school uniform and no exercise books. During our tour of the school, the school teachers and pupils emphasised the need for the support of TLBPET in the form of rebuilding, refurbishing, supplying of exercise books, school uniforms, etc. It was agreed that it would be a great boost for the children if TLBPET could raise sufficient funds to refurbish the Regent Rural Education Community School, bringing it to 21st century standards; provide exercise books, school books, pencils, crayons etc.
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