Sponsor Staff Distant Learning.

This is possibly Sierra Leone’s equivalent to Open University. The opportunity is given to teaching assistants and serving teachers to improve their qualifications through attending vacation courses and completing assignments in school term time to present for assessment at Vacation Training.

Our two teaching assistants Max and Eric have applied to Pujehun FTC (Freetown Teachers College).P1000221 P1000234

Pujehun is over 50 miles away, they have to rent rooms and fend for themselves. Max Kessebeh started on a three year Teaching Certificate (TC) programme which began in December 2013. Eric Kobba, along with teacher LucyP1000228 - Copy Kpsowa, are hoping to be accepted on a Higher Teaching Certificate (HTC), a three year course beginning in July 2014.

Every long vacation – summer, Christmas and Easter they must spend at Pujehun. Half of their time will be tutorials and the remainder examinations. If they fail any element of the course they will be offered one re-sit or ‘reference’.

Their fees for this privilege vary:

  • TC Le 850,000 / year (£125)
  • HTC Le 1,060,000 / year (£156)
  • All have to find transport, rent & food money.

They are already paying rent on their family home, so this is all extra cost.

It is extremely admirable that they have the inner drive and motivation to improve their knowledge in the challenging environment of Sierra Leone.

P1000959The charity has agreed to try and help support this learning, we could do with a helping hand. Max, Eric and Lucy would be eternally grateful and extremely happy to communicate with you.

Both Max and Lucy have young families, whereas Eric is unmarried.   Eric spends a lot of his free time helping other children learn, he’s a very gifted maths teacher, although, completely unqualified.

Lucy and Eric attended Pujehun for registration in July 2014 ready for training, but all three of them were sent home due to the immediate imposition of Ebola restrictions.  They are hoping their courses will restart this July.

Please contact us if you’re interested in helping to support them.