By Mohamed Issa

Before now, there were prominent schools in the country that used to top others in academic performance. The Grammar School, the Albert Academy (AA), the Prince of Wales (PO), the Saint Edward’s, the Annie Walsh Memorial for Girls, the Methodist Girls High School, the Saint Joseph Convent Secondary are few in the capital city, Freetown that were considered as icon for academic excellence in yester years.

In the provinces also, the Bo School, the Christ the King College (CKC), the Harford Secondary School for Girls in Moyamba, the South, the Kenema Secondary School (KSS), the Koidu Secondary School in Kono, the Holy Rosary Secondary School for Girls, Kenema in the East, and the Mathora Secondary School for Girls in the North including the Saint Francis Secondary School in Makeni and the Magburaka Boys High School were most of the prominent schools in the country that many parents were proud of for their children and wards to attend at that time.

There is no doubt in the fact that there were many factors to justify the claim of the accolade that was reposed in these schools during that time. One out of the many was the keen competition that was operating amongst these schools. Moreover, teachers in those days were not only focusing much on using the classroom as market places to amass money for their insatiable desire but they were zealous to impart the requisite knowledge in the pupils that will benefit them, the country and the world at large.

In fact, teaching was conserved as a very noble job at that time that inspires people to long for it and they did it with passion as they were marveled at where ever they went.

Second, school going pupils used to have great respect for their teachers in those days and were ready to learn which was why they used to sacrifice all it required for them to accrue the knowledge  from their teachers.

Squarely, parents also were ready to do all within their powers for their children to be educated. In those days, Sierra Leone was referred to as Anthem of West Africa where people used to come from other countries to attend some of these schools.

In fact, school like the Annie Walsh was the first girl school in West Africa.

Unfortunately, this big glory that was big like an Elephant has now become an empty shadow of its former self. What is more disheartening to many concerned citizens is that the good nomenclature of these so-called prominent schools in those days has watered down. But sadly enough, some of them have become money making centers rather than learning institutions. And those who are au- fait with the history of these schools believe that they no longer possess those qualities.

Little wonder that most other school authorities in the country especially in the capital city Freetown are now referring to them as notorious in collecting huge some of monies for admission and the Education Ministry does nothing about it even though it is not hidden to them. But when it comes to academic performance, they are by no means considered as leaders instead they are still leaders in extorting parents with huge sums of money for admission. The truth is, if the ACC is really serious about hunting school authorities for corrupt practices, they should focus on these old big name schools whose demands are still high but they are less performing in current days for which many concerned people referred to them as an Elephant shadow name that is big but has no weight.