Sierra Leone’s main opposition party blasts government Free Education initiative for failing the poor

Mackie M. Jalloh: Sierra Leone Telegraph: 18 September 2024:

The Free Quality Education (FQE) initiative, launched by President Bio’s administration with the promise of ensuring “every child has access to quality education,” was initially hailed as a transformative policy. (Photo: Abdul Karim Kamara MP, the opposition’s Parliamentary Chief Whip). Many Sierra Leoneans had hoped that this program would restore the nation’s former reputation as a hub of education in West Africa. However, as the years have passed, the reality has starkly contrasted with the initial expectations.

Critics argue that the FQE has not lived up to its grand promises. What was meant to be a beacon of hope for the poor and average citizens has instead resulted in growing frustration and dissatisfaction.

Despite the government’s claim of progress, many parents say education is now more expensive than ever, leaving them burdened with rising costs. Exam malpractices continue unchecked, while the overall quality of education remains questionable.

One of the most vocal critics of the FQE is Parliamentarian – Abdul Karim Kamara MP, the opposition’s Chief Whip, who has voiced strong concerns over the program’s shortcomings.

According to Kamara, the initiative is failing the very people it was intended to help. In his view, the lack of basic amenities in government and government-assisted schools, such as clean water, adequate classrooms, proper sanitation, and better teacher welfare, is a major hindrance to delivering quality education.

Kamara’s criticism extends to the private school sector, which he claims is undermining public schools education. He points out that private schools are allowed to charge exorbitant fees, creating a widening gap between the public and private education systems.

Public school students, many of whom are from poorer families, are charged NLe 30.00 per year, while private schools demand thousands of dollars in fees. This disparity, Kamara argues, ensures that only the wealthy have access to true “quality education,” while the majority of voters who elected the government are left behind.

“The radical inclusion is excluding the people that vote for us,” Kamara remarked, highlighting the irony of the situation. He accused the government of paying lip service to education reform, while allowing the rich to benefit from private schooling.

According to Kamara, those in power ensure their children receive a superior education, while the children of ordinary citizens languish in underfunded public schools.

Kamara further criticized the government’s inadequate school subsidies, which he believes leave public schools without the resources to provide basic services. He called on the government to increase subsidies to improve the learning environment for students, and to address the glaring inequalities between public and private education.

In his closing remarks, Kamara urged the government to step in and regulate private school fees, emphasizing that the current disparity in costs is widening the educational gap and undermining the principles of fairness and inclusion that the Free Quality Education program was meant to uphold.

Kamara’s damning assessment of the FQE highlights the deep-rooted challenges facing Sierra Leone’s education system.

As the public grows increasingly disillusioned, the government must act swiftly to address these issues or risk further alienating the very people it promised to uplift from poverty.