Little Steps Hands Over Newly Constructed Primary School in Kamathoie Village
By Mohamed Konneh
Community women dancing and singing praises for Peter Bayuku Konteh
Local Non-Governmental Organization, Little Steps Sierra on 10th May 2024 hands over newly constructed Primary School to the people of Kamathoie Village, Tamisso Chiefdom in the Koinadugu District, Northern Sierra Leone. The handing over brought together chiefdom authorities, surrounding villages, officials from the education sector and well-wishers.
Pupils in this village will now move from a makeshift structure to a modern classroom block newly constructed.
Thanks to the Gori family, Santi, Enzo, and Gina Matassoni Montevarchi, from Italy, who funded the project through the Italian NGO, Fonte Di Speranza a project implemented by local NGO Little Steps.
This village never had a structure called school, no water facility, and no toilet for the pupils. Pupils used to walk long distance to fetch water and used the nearby bushes as toilet.
Giving the history behind the project, the pioneer, the former Minister of Works and Public Asset, Peter Bayuku Konteh, said he was in Italy where he talked to a friend to help construct a school in that village.
“My Italian friend provided the sum of ten thousand euros for the construction of the school. This funding was sent through an Italian NGO Fonte Di Speranza for the project. Before this time in 2019, I was here in Kamathoie Village to campaign for my SLPP party, and after which I asked if there is a school or water well. Tear run down my eyes, when I was told that all of these is absent here and the reason for this school.
“This is happening because of the trust they have in me. I am also passionate about education and the more reason I support education. Without education, no country will develop or progress, and the reason I am supporting education in Koinadugu District,” he said.
Mr. Bayuku Konteh said if he is to recommend to political parties, there are five things that needed to be prioritize.
These he said include the continuation of the free quality education backed by civic education.
“Another is the promotion of food security through mechanized farming. Water, Road, and energy supply. These five priorities are what each political party should prioritize, and these should be in the new constitution,” Mr. Konteh said.
He said Little Steps Sierra Leone will continue to advocate for the construction of another water well, a befitting health centre that will serve the surrounding villages.
Mr. Bayuku Konteh said any village or community without a radio, homes without proper drinking bucket, no place for family meetings and discussions, something is definitely wrong.
“This community needs more health centres and water wells, to serve the people,” he said.
Amadu Tantan Conteh, Chairperson of the occasion, in his opening remarks express gratitude for the opportunity given to him to chair the program.
He said Kamathoie Village is blessed to have a school where there was no befitting structure.
Mr. Conteh said academic education is the key to development, and that is exactly what this project is about.
He called on the community to take good care of the school while encouraging the parents to continue sending their children to school.
Education Stakeholders cutting Tape marking opening of new school
The Manager of Little Steps Sierra Leone, Tamba Kargbo, giving a background of the organization said Little Steps was formed and founded by Mr. Peter Bayuku Konteh.
He said Peter Bayuku Konteh was in Italy and was witnessing the suffering of his people.
Newly Constructed Water Well for the School
“While in Italy he started talking to friends to help Sierra Leone, especially poor and remote communities in his Koinadugu district. This is how the NGO Little Steps was formed” he said.
Mr. Kargbo noted that since then with the help of Peter Bayuku Konteh, Little Steps has constructed eight primary schools across the district, constructed a secondary school in Yagala Village, a boarding home for 90 blind pupils, construct a carpentry workshop in Yagala village, three health centres, 46 water Wells, and have facilitated 200 surgeries by bringing doctors from Italy.
Newly Constructed Toilet for the School
He said Peter Bayuku also contributed to the creation of Radio Bintumani, a youth center in Yagala and that through his humanitarian work locals whose legs were amputated as a result of the war prosthetic were provided for them.
“As for this school in Kamathoie, there is a water well and toilet that will aid not only the school but the community as well.
He said most of the projects are done in hard to teach areas where most NGOs will not go.
Former Structure used by the pupils
The Section Chief of Tamisso Chiefdom representing the paramount chief in his statement said Peter Bayuku is the first person to construct a school in their chiefdom and the only person to bring doctors from Italy to do free surgeries.
The Deputy District Director of Education, Koinadugu District, Yusif Kamara, in his statement congratulated Little Steps Sierra Leone and Mr. Peter Bayuku Konteh for the project.
“The construction of school is the responsibility of the government, but for the fact that we are having people complementing government effort, we should appreciate them.
The government has brought free quality education and continues to pay examination fees,” he said.
Mr. Kamara noted that the government cannot do everything and the reason why they continue to appreciate people like Peter Bayuku Konteh for complement ng the effort of government.
He called on the people of Kamathoie village to protect the school, noting that the school has all the components to call it a school.
“This in itself will encourage the pupils to always come to school. As for parents continue to encourage your children to go to school. We don't want to see children of school going age roaming the village without going to school. You also need to provide security for the school and this is important,” he said.
The Representative from the Teaching Service Commission, Alhaji Mohamed Jalloh in his statement said the commission started in 2018 and that the commission is in charge of recruiting and placement of teachers.
He said they have placed teachers in most communities within Koinadugu District.
He said by the end of this year Tamisso chiefdom will have three teachers with pin code.
Mr. Jalloh called on the communities to protect the teachers so as to encourage them to stay. The opening of the school was climaxed by the distribution of teaching and learning materials.
