By Ibrahim Joenal Sesay
FREETOWN, Feb. 24 (232news.com) – In line with their theme “Love is in the air” one of Sierra Leone best private schools in the country, Excel Day Care, Nursery and Academy situated at Tengbeh Town in Freetown has donated food and non-food items to the Freetown Cheshire Home, Cline Town in Freetown.
The donation which took place on the 14th February 2022 at the home, saw children of Excel and Cheshire home interacting a way of celebrating Valentine’s Day.
Proprieties for Excel Day Care, Nursery and Academy, Mrs. Onike King disclosed that every Valentin’s Day, her school for the past four years have been visiting the home with their ‘Love is in the air’ campaign.
She went on to say that while everyone is showing love on valentine’s day, they as a school decided that the children be part of their learning process to show love to everybody whether disabled or not.
She disclosed further that parents of the school and the administration donated money and used clothes, shoes and assorted food items to celebrate with the kids of the home who are mainly physically challenged.
“Valentine’s day is in the school calendar that is why we are celebrating this day.”
She expressed joy to be part of the celebration of those kids as parents gave out of what they have and the children make the effort to visit.
“We are happy because the home too was yearning to see us. It is good to include the special needs children as they also need love and attention. God loves all of us. One thing we learned today was one of the kids using her mouth to write because she can’t use her hands. God gives everybody gifts and we should embrace those gifts to make the world a better place.”
According to Mrs. King, one of Excel Academy’s focus is for the children to grow up accepting the special needs children which she emphasised is all part of the inclusive learning are they practicing.
Head Teacher, Freetown Cheshire Home Primary School, Isaac Kororma in his welcome remarks, explained that the school was founded in 1962 and started full operation as school in 1963.
He said before now, the home was purely for physically challenged children but they have changed the system by bringing inclusive education in which able children and the physically challenged can sit in one class room and start building relationship. Through that they would know how to stay with each other in future.
“Some children have multiple disabilities but we can assess them. The physically challenged have gift in them that is why we say don’t look at the disability but at the ability.”
Freetown Cheshire Home Vice Chair, Alhaji Abdul Gallen thanked Excel Academy for always reaching out to them at a time like that. He said they have demonstrated consistency in their support over the years of which they are grateful.
