When I visit Bumpeh Chiefdom villages, I see the story of Mariatu Turay’s mother played out again and again. Ya Ramatu is a widow who toils away in her garden using only her own backbreaking manual labor. Foremost in her mind is educating her children. But she hardly earns enough to feed them, let alone take care of school expenses.

Ya Ramatu didn’t have the opportunity for education. Too many children still follow in her footsteps, trapped for generations in the same cycle of illiteracy and poverty.

Too many young minds have been wasted for too long. You can change that. You are changing that.

You helped Mariatu break the mold. We’re kicking off our annual Education Fundraiser so more students repeat her success story this school year. Together we can cast off education barriers and invest in developing more young minds.

Mariatu, left, just managed a feat few rural girls achieve, as a standout secondary school graduate. She was also a school prefect, selected to lead students and enforce school standards.

She now wants to go to university to study accounting. Without our help, she could have been back in her village like her mother, struggling to support two or three children.

Instead, Mariatu and other junior high students you earlier helped, are today’s high school graduates. With early success, they stayed in school, prepared to tackle senior high and now continue for advanced training.

Today, girls and boys routinely graduate from Rotifunk secondary schools, thanks to programs from our partner, the Center for Community Empowerment and Transformation (CCET-SL).

For Paramount Chief Charles Caulker, it’s a transformation. “Our schools have now returned to where they were before the war. Our children no longer have to leave Bumpeh Chiefdom to get a full education.”

Doing what works

Over 11 years, CCET-SL has greatly improved education in Rotifunk. At its core, CCET-SL’s tutorial programs give students the extra teaching support they need to advance to the next level of their education: to junior high, senior high and now higher education.

9th grade students, above, intent on passing to senior high return for another 90 minutes of CCET-SL led after-school classes. This tutorial ensures they complete the full curriculum before the national exam.

In a rural area with limited resources, you must be practical. CCET-SL organizes teachers with the best qualifications to prepare students in grades 5, 6, 9 and 12 for their national exams.

The tutorials use existing teachers and existing facilities to achieve better results. Much better.

Over 90% of students in tutorial classes now pass to junior high and senior high better prepared than ever and continue to perform at a higher level. High school graduates are among the first to qualify for college in 30 years.

Charles Caulker, left, got the highest 2023 senior high entrance exam score ever achieved at a Rotifunk school and in his district of 40 schools. He topped students in five other rural districts. A number of his fellow students were close behind. Rotifunk hospital surgical officer and CCET-SL board director, Mohamed Tommy stands proudly with him.

Today’s lowest senior high entrance exam scores were just few years ago the highest scores Rotifunk students achieved.

For Mariatu – and her mother – CCET-SL’s tutorial programs made all the difference, enabling her to graduate with good grades at no extra cost. Sierra Leone schools often charge fees for extra after-school classes to prep for exams. Or parents pay teachers to tutor their children for national exams.

With Sherbro Foundation funding, CCET-SL tutorial classes are free, giving all students equal opportunity to get a full education.

Women often care for children of other family members. Kadiatu, center above, has responsibility for seven children; three are hers, four her brother’s. The family burden to educate children is great.

Program impact

Paramount Chief Charles Caulker sees the impact of CCET-SL program as “a big leap forward.” He told me, “CCET-SL is closing the huge gap left in chiefdom schools by the [11-year] war. For years, few students passed. Now, nearly all students pass. Grades are significantly improved to the point many graduates now qualify for university or [three-year] diploma courses.”

Chief was blunt about the state of Rotifunk schools for years after the war. “Only the students seen as useless remained in our schools.” Bright students found their way out and parents made every effort to send their children to better schools in bigger towns and cities.

Paramount Chief Caulker, above center, is a strong advocate for women. He knows the greatest long-term impact he can have on his chiefdom is helping to educate their children.

Chief Caulker now sends his granddaughters to Rotifunk schools. “This shows my conviction. I wouldn’t send my own children to school here if I didn’t believe the learning process was good,” he said. “I see no difference in their learning compared to Freetown schools. Look at Naomi. Her English is good, and she does very well in math. I’m so happy.”

Rotifunk schools are not overcrowded like those in Freetown. Children get more individual attention and they do better.

Chief Caulker’s dream 11 years ago was to educate his grandchildren in their own chiefdom. Today, granddaughters, Naomi, 7th grade, above left, and Grace, 5th grade, are thriving in Rotifunk schools.

Raising the bar

CCET-SL’s collaborative approach with Rotifunk schools is helping set a higher standard of education. They review and analyze student national exam results with schools by subject and agree on improvements they can work on together. Teachers get help with teaching materials and classroom coaching on teaching methods.

“CCET-SL is creating competition among Rotifunk schools, causing them to rise to a higher level,” Chief Caulker added.

With your support, we’re in the fourth year of CCET-SL managed teacher certification scholarships. CCET-SL handpicked 19 promising primary and secondary school teachers, especially for English, math and science. Women teachers are in short supply. CCET-SL sought out local female high school graduates to develop as teachers. Teachers go to classes during school breaks and apply each term’s learnings back in their classrooms. Nine schools are improving as their teachers improve their own educations.

Young minds are no longer wasting in Rotifunk. With CCET-SL programs, more and more students are graduating high school and at younger ages.

Seventeen-year-old John Sandy, left, just sat for the national graduation exam he’s optimistic will gain him admission to university. Graduating at 20 and 22 years of age had been the norm.

Also, students often must retake the graduation exam to improve results before getting admitted to universities and technical institutes.

They’ll lose a year or two and have to raise funds to pay to repeat the exam and maybe a review class. It’s an expense many can’t afford.

The big education leap Chief Caulker credits CCET-SL with is not just academic success. It also clears a huge financial hurdle for the poorest families – avoiding lost time and substantial cost before students can gain advanced education and productive job skills.

Bumpeh Chiefdom greatly needs highly skilled trades people, not just university grads. We’re planning new scholarships for young people to pursue training in areas like construction, electrical systems, mining technology, agriculture and animal husbandry.

Chief Caulker knows opportunity will open with education. “People get enlightened with education. They’re creative. They’ll use their creativity to create their own opportunities and develop small businesses.”

Ya Ramatu’s life would have been vastly different with even basic education. Our challenge is to help the next generation of Mariatu’s and John’s get the head start they need in school for better, productive lives.

School starts in September. For only $50, you can give a 9^th or 12^th grade student ten months of instruction to ensure they’re ready to advance to the next level of their education.

A student prepared and confident of progressing to senior high or college for only $5 a month. A bargain!

“It takes a village” to educate Bumpeh Chiefdom children and we’re an essential part of it. Join our village and give a child an opportunity that changes their life.

On behalf of students and parents, thanks so much for all the support you provide!

— Arlene Golembiewski,
 Executive Director