ABC-Development, in partnership with ActionAid Sierra Leone, has recently launched an educational support initiative aimed at strengthening teacher capacity and improving learning outcomes in underserved communities across Kambia District.
The initiative was announced during a recent strategic meeting at ABC-Development’s headquarters and provides distance education support to ten volunteer community teachers who have been teaching without formal professional training. Through the programme, the beneficiaries will pursue recognized teaching qualifications at the Freetown Polytechnic, a move expected to significantly improve the quality of instruction in rural schools.
The programme targets three chiefdoms—Munu Thalla, Masungbala, and Magbema—areas that have long struggled with shortages of trained teachers and persistently low literacy levels. According to ABC-Development, the intervention is designed to empower community teachers, strengthen classroom delivery, and ultimately improve pupils’ academic performance.
The beneficiaries were selected from several schools across the district, including Children’s Welfare Islamic Primary School in Rolal Kemathma (2), KDEC Primary School in Laminaia (2), Saint Bruno/RC Primary School in Rokupr Wosie (2), Omar Muctar Islamic Primary School in Bassia Bundu (1), and SLMB Primary School in Koya (3). Of the ten teachers selected, six are women and four are men, reflecting the organisation’s commitment to gender inclusion.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mohamed Issa Bangura expressed gratitude for the opportunity. “ABC-Development started supporting some of us who have been serving as volunteer teachers in our communities. The organisation has now given me the opportunity to study for the Higher Teachers Certificate (HTC). This support goes beyond us as individuals because it will help improve education in our communities. We are thankful and pray that the organisation gains more partnerships to continue this work,” he said.
Another testimony came from Abu Bakar Conteh, a former beneficiary of ABC-Development who is now the Head Teacher of KDEC Primary School in Laminaia, Masungbala Chiefdom. He described the support as life-changing for both teachers and communities. “I started teaching without any formal training. ABC-Development, together with ActionAid, came to this community, reconstructed our dilapidated school, and supported some of us to pursue our teaching certificates for three years. After two years, they returned to help us further our studies in the Higher Teachers Certificate for Primary education. Today, I proudly serve as the head teacher of this school. ABC-Development has truly been a blessing to our communities,” he said.
At the centre of the intervention is Mohamed Hadie Kamara, popularly known as MO-Brown, the Executive Director of ABC-Development. Speaking on the initiative, he said the programme aligns with national efforts to strengthen the education sector by addressing gaps in teacher training, particularly in rural areas. “Investing in teachers is investing in the future of our children. These volunteers have been the backbone of their communities, often working without pay or professional training. This opportunity will help them become more effective and qualified educators,” he stated.
Community leaders and school representatives welcomed the intervention, describing it as timely and impactful. For many years, schools in the targeted chiefdoms have relied heavily on untrained volunteer teachers who, despite their commitment, lacked access to professional development.
With the introduction of structured distance learning support, the beneficiaries are expected to improve lesson delivery, classroom management, and learning outcomes, benefiting hundreds of pupils across the district.
The initiative further strengthens ABC-Development’s record of implementing community-focused educational projects in Kambia District, particularly those aimed at addressing systemic challenges at the grassroots level.
For the beneficiaries, the opportunity marks a turning point in their professional lives and offers renewed hope for the children they teach. As they begin their academic programmes, they carry with them the expectations of their communities and the responsibility to translate their training into improved classroom outcomes.
Through this intervention, ABC-Development and its partners reaffirm their commitment to strengthening education through local capacity building, supporting community teachers, and contributing to sustainable development in Sierra Leone.
