JUNE 2025 UPDATE 1

/

The WASSCE 2025 examination ended on June 3rd. The centre for our school is Leone International Academy, the mountain community in Lumley. It is over 7km from the school which was a significant distance for the pupils to travel. As mentioned in a previous post, students have been studying with their teachers late into the night over the last few months. They have worked hard and deserve to do well. Many thanks to the staff for their hard work and dedication in supporting them. Extra Mile always try to go the extra mile for their students!

April 2024 UPDATE 2

/

Due to a generous donation and some saving up by the charity, Extra Mile has been able to move on a little to finish the building extension we started back in 2019. The classroom windows have long been a problem as they have stood open to the elements allowing water ingress during the rainy season. We have had to buy tarpaulins to prevent this but this also cut down on natural daylight. We are now part way through the project and have fitted security grills to the window openings and the windows are soon to follow. It's also much safer for the students in the classroom. The project is costing around £5000 but when finished will be a huge asset by keeping rooms dry and safe. Further work is needed to the classrooms such as plastering, doors, electrics and floor tiling. We may have to wait some years again before being able to afford the work to be done so any donations would speed up the process making the classrooms fit for purpose and of the same standard as the ground floor.

APRIL 2024 UPDATE 1

/

Inter- School Spelling Quiz and Debate.

The Extra Mile School in Ober-Funkia, Sierra Leone continues to try to stretch our pupils in many ways. In order to promote a greater level of awareness of the existence of the Extra Mile Community Library within the community, and to enhance pupils’ capacity in vocabulary and public speaking and promote unity and Inter Personal Relationships among pupils and staff of schools in Goderich community, Extra Mile School organized a spelling quiz and debate competition for pupils from four local secondary schools on the motion “Mobile Phones or Devices should banned in Secondary Schools”.

The invitations were sent to schools several weeks before the event with full instructions. Raffle numbers 1 – 120 were placed in a bag and competitors picked out a ticket and then had to spell the words of the number within a certain time scale. The slower the spelling the fewer points they gained.

Abdul Raheen Saw was exceptional in gaining 22 points and was awarded a special prize. As for the debating competition, the four schools appointed four pupils in favour and three against the motion. The Diamond Child School (125 pts) was victorious and the Extra Mile School (115 pts) came a close second. The motion was passed. The whole competition greatly tested the pupil’s character. It must have taken much courage to speak in front of their peers and risk making mistakes for them all to see. It was an amazing day, and we not only congratulated the competitors but also the staff for their impeccable organization. We wish to say a huge thank you for all the wonderful help and support that donors continue to give us throughout the year. Without your donations we could not possibly hold events like these. Thank you so much.                                                  Mike Fielding

NOVEMBER 2023 UPDATE 1

/

Our Literacy and Debating Society was launched last week. There were interesting debates on girl child education and private versus government/government assisted schools. Thanks to the organizers: PP Cole, Ishmael Bockarie, Catherine Freeman, and our teachers on teaching practice. This is a great initiative and it certainly looks as if our pupils are enjoying having their say!

OCTOBER 2023 UPDATE 1

/

Report to the Rotary Club of Rugby from the Extra Mile School in Sierra Leone.

A Pioneering Careers Programme:

Why do we educate these youngsters in developing countries if there are no jobs for them when they finally leave school? What’s the point of trying to find work when children already work from as young as five years or less?

Well, where do you begin, to answer such a question? Its true, that in an economy like that of Sierra Leone where almost three quarters of its GDP comes from overseas aid and where the unemployment rate stands at an almighty 75% and where galloping inflation has overtaken reason, and that life chances are at rock bottom. Education is but an afterthought and getting a job almost impossible.

However, that said, there is another view. Must these youngsters of today have to suffer for the greed, the corruption and the incompetence of their forefathers? Should they be denied the thrill of discovering the miracles of modern science or how the human body works and what keeps it healthy? Should they never learn the mental maths and systems of justice that just might protect them from fraud? Or catch the wondrous language of their national literature and that of the great writers of the day, across the world? A life of endless strife, of poverty and deprivation should also see the beauty of art, hear wonderful music and have the skills to read of the passion and courage, played out by their own national heroes.

So that’s why we hold a careers programme for our leaving sixth formers, the future of their nation. A programme in which their young men and women can collate their learning and their experiences in a personal vitae. They can listen to the professionals who have already jumped the hurdles of life and can advise these callow youth accordingly. They will learn the basic skills of using the internet to research opportunities far afield and use the software too.

They practice their letter-writing as well as their interview techniques. Finally where we can, we organise work experience and this offers the chance to make those valuable contacts in the work place. We are proud to say that the Extra Mile School is the only school in the whole of Sierra Leone to offer this scheme and it is not surprising when pupils from other schools come to join our sessions as well.

The itemised expenses show that we ran this programme in July/Aug. 2022 (£330) and also the following year, July/Aug. 2023 (£662). It is now complete for these years though we hope to be able to operate the programme each year from now on. Pupils still return to school to see staff for further advice and guidance. Almost forty pupils took part – 9 (2022) + 31+ (2023), of whom 60% were girls and several more students joined from other schools as well. Seven professionals spoke to the students throughout the careers day:

Nurse Mariatu Bangura – Community Health Officer; Nurse Rose Sawyer – Head of Maternity Goderich clinic; The Honorable Daniel Fornah – MP and Telecom Engineer; Elder Donald Conteh – Lecturer and Drug Control Officer; Three Heads of Department at the school.

The programme was organised by Extra Mile School staff led by the Deputy Principal, Mr. Wusu Kargbo. Mr. Prince Pat Cole (Humanities), Mr. Felix Bangura (Science), Mr. Ibrahim Kpaka (Commerce), Mr. Moses Conteh (In-Country Director), Mr. Ismael Bockerie (Support Staff), Mrs. Marie Conteh (Head of Reading), Miss Catherine Freeman ( Humanities Teacher) and Mr. Musa Kanu (Sixth Form Student and junior teacher) to whom we send our grateful thanks for all their hard work..

Thank you once more to all those kind members at Rotary Club of Rugby who help to support our work including this pioneering careers programme "and the wonderful support for our new science laboratory. Bless you all".

Mike Fielding September 2023.

AUGUST 2023 UPDATE 2

The Extra Mile delegates with their certificates, August 2023.

Big thanks to all the staff, led by Mr Wuso Kargbo (Deputy Principal), as well as the speakers and all our supporters. Well done!