A six-classroom block for a Lower Basic School, sponsored by Primaplan Foundation, had been recently inaugurated in Samba Chargie village, Jokadu District of North Bank Region (NBR).
It is expected to ease the burden on the children who had to trek from their community to take classes at schools elsewhere.
Meanwhile, the Project Coordinator Mr. Ousman Sowe–a native of the said village–has used the joyous moment to exhort the school children to obey and respect their teachers, and also make best use of the school.
Sowe further urged them to work hard in order to be successful children. He believes investing in these children “is not a waste” since they are the leaders of tomorrow. He said that’s not their first activity in Samba Chargie, but the third time they reaching out to the village.
“We have done what we can. It is now left to the children [of the school] to do what is expected of them”, Sowe challenged the students of his native village.
The Deputy Permanent Secretary (DPS) at Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE), Mr. Adama Jimba Jobe, speaking at the inauguration ceremony challenged the students to take their schooling seriously since they now have a better equipped school.
He intimated: “The country needs great sons like Ousman because government cannot do it all; so such intervention is really needed. It’s at the right time and right direction.” Jobe also thanked Primaplan Foundation for their timely intervention, while calling on the school head and teachers as well as the villagers to take good care of the building.
Speaking at the gathering, the North Bank Region Governor Mr. Lamin Saidykhan, urged all students to work hard and listen to their teachers and parents, and maintain discipline at school and at homes. The regional boss also had some words of advice for parents, stressing they must make sure their children attend school during school opening times, otherwise having that beautiful school (building) in Samba Chargie would not have any value.
A philanthropist Bram Ivanka challenged the students there to do their best because Ousman Sowe has done his best in bringing education to their doorsteps; while reminding them that “when much is given, much is expected”.
Mr. Gido Sowe, Alkalo of Samba Chargie, said he’s “very happy with this new development” in his village, as he saw it as ‘a plus’ to the villagers. “With this new school here, through the intervention of Primaplan Foundation, the burden on our children trekking far to another place for schooling will be reduced now”, stated the head of the settlement.
Alkali Sowe hailed Ousman, as he put on records that the person who brought that good gesture in Samba Chargie “is a good and hardworking son of the village”. He also acknowledged that, that’s not the first time Samba Chargie was getting help from Primaplan Foundation, noting “we have been benefiting a lot from this foundation”.