By Africa 24

A primary school in Waterloo which has produced some graduates from various colleges, is struggling hard to keep up with the competition as many schools have been opened on the community.

The proprietor says there are about eight schools at ABB Line community at York Road and is affecting their growth.

“We face a lot of constraints.The area we found ourselves parents don’t value education. And if you have a situation like this in which children are not fully attending school, it is a big problem,” says Mr Sallieu Sam Sesay, head and proprietor of Queen Esther Primary school in Waterloo.

He spoke of the less costs they are charging parents but even with that parents can’t pay up often the fees and school charges demanded by the school.

When it comes to the area of buying learning materials, he added, many parents cannot afford to buy exercise books, reading books, pens, etc for their children.

Though he thinks it is too sad to be heading up a school in which parents don’t value education, Mr Sesay still lives on to do the work with passion and hope.

“I still persevere because of passion, and hope. I hope someday I shall get someone from anywhere to help me out to grow up this school.”

Sesay’s Esther Queen was opened in 2005, and the owner smiled about his little achievements he had made in the community.

“Most of the children from here are in America, some have even graduated from Fourah Bay College,” he said.

However, he said the few teachers he is having are not fully meeting up  their responsibilities because of parents failing to pay up the  school fees and charges.

Queen Esther Nursery & Primary School is among the many schools in Sierra Leone which are struggling to give children quality education due to several constraints by parents such as the lack of willingness by some. parents to pay school charges for their kids and to buy school materials needed for the school-going pupils.

“I even find it difficult to complete the building as you can see; but I trust God that one day help will come my way.”

I will appreciate if anyone from anywhere will come to our aid one day.”

“There are eight primary schools around, and because of that competition, it is affecting us a lot,”he said.