Local Non-Governmental Organization, Little Steps on Friday 30th May 2025 hands over newly constructed Primary School to the people of Gbonkokoboh Kayaka Chiefdom in the Koinadugu District, Northern Sierra Leone. The handing over brought together chiefdom authorities, surrounding villages, officials from the education sector and well-wishers.
Thanks to the, Petrucci Family in Rome, Italy in partnership with Fonte Di Saprenza NGO, who provided the funds for the Kawa Catholic Primary school Project and implemented by local NGO Little Steps.
This village never had a structure called school, no water facility, and no toilet for the pupils. Pupils used to walk long distance to fetch water and used the nearby bushes as toilet.
Giving the history behind the project, the pioneer, former Minister of Works and Public Asset, Peter Bayuku Konteh, said he was in Italy where he talked to a friend to help construct a school in that chiefdom.
In a spectacular and colorful event in complimenting government effort, the Chiefdom can now boast of a Modern School Building with furniture and hand dug out well for the people of Gbonkoboh Kayaka Chiefdom in the Koinadugu District, Northern Sierra Leone.
The handing over ceremony also attracted the presentation of Learning Materials from the Ministry of Education.
While making his statement Peter Bayuku Konteh called on Sierra Leoneans to love their Country citing the National Anthem that is embedded with words of love, unity freedom and justice.
“The funding for the construction of the School, furniture and hand dug out well facilities came directly from a Family in Rome, Italy called the PETRUCCI FAMILY. This is a support derived to uplift rural communities and that the Little Steps NGO Sierra Leone is always ready to actualize project of this nature,” he said.
Mr. Konteh said ‘with the support of my Italian friends, we have built 10 primary schools, one secondary, three health centers, several water wells, etc., granted tens of scholarships, facilitated free surgical operations of the poor – all in Koinadugu/Falaba districts respectively.
The Pioneer of this project added that, rural communities deserve attention, and suggested that governments should prioritize investments in six areas including free quality education accompanied by civic education, food security, clean drinking water, infrastructural development in roads, energy, support to the security, justice and ACC sectors.
Mr. Konteh stressed the need for Teaching Service Commission and Education Ministry to pay more attention to rural learning and more so teachers who do not have pin codes.
“We are also today handing over this facility to the Koinadugu District Catholic Diocese. This school belongs to you, make sure you the take best care of it,” he said.
Mr. Konteh asked series of questions ranging from poverty among the people, the indiscipline, bad mouth, lawlessness and many more vices.
“As a Sierra Leonean, I am not happy with the operation of the mining companies as they continue to give pittance to government. I am also not happy that the environment is been destroyed with not recuse. I am also not happy that when it comes to electing our leaders citizens do so based on sentiments,” Peter Bayuku Konteh said.
The Program Manager of Little Steps, Amadu Tantan Conteh while making his statement said Little Steps was established in 2000 to help develop deprived rural communities in Koinadugu/Falaba districts.
“The newly constructed school consist of three classrooms, an office, a store, furniture, teaching and learning materials, water well and toilet facilities,” he said.
Mr. Tantan Conteh noted that the construction of the Kawa Roman Catholic Primary school and hand dug out well started in February of this year and that construction of the facility completed in record time.
The Paramount Chief of Gbonkoboh Kayaka Chiefdom PC Almammy Fanah in his statement expressed thanks and appreciation while describing Peter Bayuku Konteh as a true son of the soil.
“This is as a brilliant initiative for the Chiefdom and this will continue to develop not only the chiefdom but the people as well. Let me also used this opportunity to commend Little Steps and PETRUCCI FAMILY in Rome, Italy for Supporting my Chiefdom.”
The PC assured that they will effectively monitor the school and the facilities in his chiefdom.
The Deputy Director at the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary school Koinadugu District Yusufu Abdulai Kamara while presenting the Learning Materials on behalf of his ministry thanked Little Steps Sierra Leone for complimenting the effort of government and by extension supporting rural education.
He promised the ministry’s continued support adding that he was impressed by the quality of work done by Little Steps Sierra Leone while calling on teachers to ensure they perform their responsibilities.
“We now have the onus to approve teachers for the School because you cannot have such a facility with children and do not have the right teachers to teach them. This is our next task as a ministry and government,” he said.
The Teaching Service Commission representative Abdul Conteh, also added his voice noting that TSC is responsible to manage the affairs of teachers and they will try to see how they can coordinate with teachers of the School for the common good.
Speaking on behalf of the Beneficiaries, a class 4 pupil Adama Kamara disclosed that before now they use to sit on sticks under a make-shift structure covered with palm leafs.
“Today we have been blessed with a new building courtesy of Little Steps Sierra Leone. We are proud of having a modern school building with water supply facility which was lacking.
The handing over of the newly constructed Kawa Catholic Primary school was climaxed by the presentation of learning materials.
