By Sahr Ibrahim Komba
FREETOWN, Aug 3 (232news.com) – Secret Society activities always affect learning activities in rural communities in Sierra Leone especially during the dry season. Teaching and learning activities are usually interrupted by secret society activities like Bondo society for women, Poro society for men/ Gbangbani society etc.
The organizers of secret society always claimed that those societies are ancient cultural institutions and play important roles in their societies. They also considered them as rites of passage into adulthood and a process which teaches young about their cultures and norms.
The Program coordinator for EducAid Joseph M Kai said that Secret Society activities have adverse effects on teaching and learning in rural communities.
He further said that teaching and learning process were seriously affected by secret societies in the Northern part of Sierra Leone.
“Some of our workers and teachers were sometimes forced to stay indoors during school hours’’ Joseph M Kai said, adding that some of their workers were intimidated by secret society organizers.
He called on the government to engage traditional leaders in rural communities. ‘’Communication and engagement is an important thing in addressing the problem’’ he noted.
Teaching Service Commission representative Conrad Sackey said that the Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education has engaged traditional leaders on the importance of education.
He said that the Ministry and Teaching Service Commission will take the findings especially challenges from the pilot into consideration in building the educational system.
“We cannot change the current situation about secret societies without working with the local stakeholders,’’ he added.
He further said that the Minister met with the paramount chiefs in Bo and informed them about the progress made in education and what his ministry intends to do in future.
He concluded that MBSSE and TSE will engage all stakeholders in transforming the educational system in Sierra Leone.
