SIERRA LEONE-EDUCATION: GHOST CAMPUS REMAINS BARE

By Lansana Fofana Reprint | | Print |

LANSANA FOFANA

FREETOWN, Feb 21 1995 (IPS) - EVERY MORNING, VAFIE KONNEH WANDERS AIMLESSLY ON THE STREETS OF THE SIERRA LEONEAN CAPITAL. HE SAYS HE HAS NOTHING TO DO SINCE HIS UNIVERSITY CAMPUS WAS RAIDED BY A BAND OF 50 REBELS MID-JANUARY.

“IT IS FRUSTRATING. I AM IN THE QUALIFYING YEAR AT COLLEGE AND AM UNSURE WHETHER I WILL GET MY DEGREE. NO ONE KNOWS WHEN LECTURES WILL RESUME AS THE CAMPUS HAS BEEN DECLARED UNSAFE,” LAMENTS KONNEH.

HE AND HUNDREDS OF HIS COLLEAGUES ARE IN FREETOWN WAITING TO BE TOLD THAT THEY CAN RETURN TO THEIR CAMPUS. BUT NJALA UNIVERSITY, SOME 160 KM SOUTH OF THE CAPITAL, HAS REMAINED CLOSED.

NJALA IS ONE OF THREE SECTIONS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SIERRA LEONE, THE ONLY ONE IN THIS WEST AFRICAN COUNTRY. IT HAS THREE FACULTIES — EDUCATION, AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES.

ON JAN. 14, REBELS OF THE REVOLUTIONARY UNITED FRONT (RUF) RANSACKED THE CAMPUS AND CHASED AWAY STUDENTS, LECTURERS AND ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF.

THE RUF HAS BEEN FIGHTING THE STATE FOR NEARLY FOUR YEARS NOW AND ABOUT 10,000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED IN THE FIGHTING.

“THE REBELS VANDALISED THE CAMPUS CANTEEN, CONSUMED ALL DRINKS, LOOTED FOODSTUFF AND TOOK AWAY MONEY. THEY ALSO KILLED SEVEN MEMBERS OF THE LOCAL CIVIL DEFENCE UNIT THAT HAD GONE TO STOP THEM,” SAID A STUDENT WHO WITNESSED THE ATTACK ON THE CAMPUS.

AN AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE LECTURER WAS ALSO ACCOSTED BY THE REBELS WHO STOLE THE EQUIVALENT OF 2,000 DOLLARS IN CASH AND SHOT HIM IN THE BUTTOCKS. HE NOW LIES IN HOSPITAL IN FREETOWN RECOVERING FROM HIS WOUNDS.

NJALA PRINCIPAL, PROF. HARRY TURAY, SAYS THE REOPENING OF THE COLLEGE WILL BE ANNOUNCED LATER “AND STUDENTS AND LECTURERS WILL BE DULY INFORMED.”

BUT STUDENTS, IN PARTICULAR, ARE GROWING IMPATIENT. SOME HAVE STARTED LOOKING FOR JOBS, WHILE OTHERS ARE DOING RESEARCH AT FOURAH BAY, A SISTER COLLEGE IN FREETOWN.

NJALA HAD ABOUT 1,500 STUDENTS BEFORE THE ATTACK. INITIALLY THE AUTHORITIES HAD MADE SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR SOME FINAL YEAR STUDENTS TO ATTEND CLASSES IN FREETOWN, BUT DECIDED, AFTER OTHERS ARGUED THAT THIS WAS UNFAIR, TO MAKE EVERYONE WAIT UNTIL SECURITY CAN BE GUARANTEED.

MOST DEPRESSED ARE DISPLACED STUDENTS WHOSE ORIGINAL HOME TOWNS AND VILLAGES HAD EARLIER BEEN BURNT DOWN BY REBELS. THESE HAVE NO PLACES TO GO TO AND ARE EITHER STAYING WITH FRIENDS OR STRANDED ON THE CAPITAL’S STREETS.

“WE USED TO GET GRANTS AND LITTLE ALLOWANCES FROM THE NATIONAL REHABILITATION COMMITTEE (NARECOM) THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, BUT THIS HAS DRIED UP AND WE ARE REALLY SUFFERING,” MARGARET MONSA, A DISPLACED STUDENT FROM KAILAHUN DISTRICT IN THE EAST, TOLD IPS.

“ALTHOUGH THE ALLOWANCES WERE MEAGRE (ABOUT 50 DOLLARS) FOR THE WHOLE YEAR, IT WAS FAIR ENOUGH BECAUSE IN THE ABSENCE OF THIS AND ACCOMODATION, I AND A NUMBER OF DISPLACED COLLEAGUES ARE GOING THROUGH HELL,” MONSA ADDED.

VAFIE KONNEH BLAMES BOTH GOVERNMENT AND STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES.

“THE GOVERNMENT HAS TAKEN NO NOTICE OF OUR PRESENCE NOR OUR PLIGHT. WE’D THOUGHT THEY WOULD TRY AND GET US UNDER SOME CARE … AND OUR NATIONAL UNION OF SIERRA LEONE STUDENTS (NUSS) HAS SIMPLY FAILED US,” HE LAMENTS.

NJALA STUDENTS SAY THEY THOUGHT NUSS WOULD CHAMPION THEIR CAUSE AND GET THE AUTHORITIES TO STEP UP SECURITY ON THE CAMPUS SO THAT THEY COULD GO BACK TO CLASSES.

STUDENTS EVEN BELIEVE THE GOVERNMENT DID NOT MAKE ADEQUATE SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS TO PREVENT A REBEL ATTACK ON THE CAMPUS.

“THE REBELS WROTE A LETTER TO THE CAMPUS SAYING THEY WILL ATTAC. THAT WAS A WEEK EARLIER. IF THE AUTHORITIES WANTED TO PREVENT IT THEY COULD HAVE BY STEPPING UP SECURITY IN READINESS FOR THE PLANNED ATTACK,” A STUDENT CLAIMS.

“I BELIEVE WE MAY LOSE THIS WHOLE YEAR BECAUSE THERE SEEMS TO BE NO PROGRESS MADE ABOUT OUR PLIGHT. OUR CAMPUS IS NOW A GHOST PLACE AND OUR CAREERS ARE IN TROUBLE,” LAMENTS AGNES KAMARA, A SECOND-YEAR STUDENT.