By Nyima Sillah
Sare Gubu Students’ Association (SGSA), a students’-based association in Sare Gubu Basiru village in the Sandu District, Upper River Region (URR) recently sensitized female students and their parents on school retention and importance of education; held at Sare Gubu Basic Cycle School campus.
The day-long forum attracted over a hundred participants in Sare Gubu Basiru and the satellite communities aimed to enlighten the females’ students and their parents on the importance of education as well as school retention.
The forum also meant to raise the community awareness on cross-cutting issues such as political tolerance, livestock vaccination and measures to obtain life-skills.
In welcoming remark, Alhagie Sura Bah, village head expressed delight in the association for organizing the sensitization forum while commended all the participants for attending the forum.
Saidal Ali Bah, president for SGSA said the association meant to promote education in Sare Gubu and its surroundings; reinforce the unity among the residents and enlighten the community on various issues.
“If you learned without serving the community then the importance of your education is still lacking. Therefore, this association deems it necessary to organize this forum in order to enlighten those who were not fortunate to be educated,” he said.
He said the annual event meant to improve the level of awareness of the village and the surroundings.
President Bah described frequent drop out of school as the main challenge of the students’ association, saying some students usually drop out from school which he said need to be addressed with urgency.
Amie Bah, a special guest for the annual event said frequent drop out of girl-child from school is factored by major cultural misconceptions. She said many believed the only viable thing for a mature girl is to get married.
Mrs Bah also a cooperate affairs officer at the Standard Chartered Bank added that many are with the believed that women can only be a housewife but she was quick to dismiss that misconception, saying “I am telling you that education cannot prevent a girl from having a husband. Some educated women are working at the same time marriage. They are caring their husbands as expected.”
“Lets us not see marriage as something that would prevent people from learning,” she sensitized.
While urging women to provide a level playing ground for girl-child to learn Ms. Bah also advised all girls to be dedicated to their education in order to attain their goals.
“If your girl-child is going to school allow and support her to learn. Because if you want to enjoy in the future you have to scarify today,” she advised her fellow women.