By: Contributing Writer
Rural Montserrado County – It is on an early Monday morning and little Lorpu Kollie is here in Amos Town sitting under a kitchen nearly located in the middle of the town.
With arms folded across the chest, the 9 nine years old is awaiting her mother to setup for their farm journey which is nearly 30 minutes’ walk away from Amos Town.
She got no choice but to join her mother every morning for some hard labor work. For Nearly two years, she is out of school. This is because of the current condition of her school building (Amos Town Public School) which is on the outskirt of Amos Town in Ding Gola Chiefdom, Rural Motserrado County.
This school got destroyed by the violent storm nearly two years away when little Lorpu was just in 3rd Grade. She still wants to continue her education as she enjoys going to school but the distance from where she lives to the next village where another school is located in nearly an hour walk.
This is not just the case only with little Lorpu but dozens of children here are affected.
Amos Town Public School was the only primary school catering to more than 200 (two hundred) kids from Amos Town and surrounding villages in Rural Montserrado County.
Since the breakdown of the school, there is no other nearby school to enroll the over 200 kids who are now left with alternative.
Lots of the children like Lorpu are eager to go back to school but the distance from Amos Town to the nearest school in the next village is and nearly an hour.
Principal’s Account
Mr, John Blackie is the Principal of the Amos Town Public School which is now completely in ruin.
At the Amos Town Public School, Principal Blackie explained how more than two hundred children were enrolled but now their future is in limbo due to the school’s current condition and the neglect by the government.
“This school you see here today in this deplorable condition was the only hope for these kids, over two hundred of them. It was really helping the children but since the heavy storm, no one has come to help with the renovation.” Mr. Blackie said in a frustrated tune.
Mr. Blackie told reporters that his administration has written the Ministry of Education through the Todee District Education Officer but no one is paying attention.
“I do not know the DEO. I haven’t even seen him; he doesn’t even pay attention to what’s happening here. Not even the Ministry of Education has said anything. There is nothing else we can do.” He said.
According to him, the education of the children who are now out of school is important and that there was a need for early intervention by central government.
“I am here still calling on them. Writing the Ministry of Education and calling on the local authorities to intervene. The children will have to travel distances from here to the next school. Others will have to walk more than one hour. That’s is why many of them are not in school now. The Amos Town Public School Principal said sadly.
Town Chief Call for Swift Intervention
Mr. Dennis Jessey, the Chief of Amos Town is worried about the future of the many children who are now sitting home as a result of their school’s condition.
“Since the storm that destroyed the school, not a single person has come to visit with us to understand what’s going on and how it is embarrassing the future of these children you see all over the place doing nothing.” The Town Chief narrated.
Town Chief Jessey noted that the future of the children is blur as many of them are now being forced into early mirages and teenage pregnancy, illicit gold mining, farming amongst others.
He is calling on the local authorities of Montserrado County to visit the Amos Town in Todee District to have first-hand information of how the government-run school looks and the need for quick renovation to be done.
“There is a need for our senators especially Senator Saah Joseph to visit this place. Let him come to see what’s happening here to our children. We are embarrassed by this and don’t know what to do.”
