By Ibrahim S. Bangura
Kambia District, Sierra Leone – December 2025 – ABC-Development, in partnership with ActionAid Sierra Leone, has launched a new educational support programme aimed at strengthening teacher capacity and improving learning outcomes in underserved communities across Kambia District.
The initiative, announced during a strategic meeting at ABC-Development’s headquarters, provides distance education support to ten volunteer community teachers who have been teaching without formal professional training. Beneficiaries will pursue recognized teaching qualifications at the Freetown Polytechnic, a move expected to significantly improve classroom delivery and academic performance in rural schools.
The programme focuses on three chiefdoms—Munu Thalla, Masungbala, and Magbema—areas long affected by shortages of trained teachers and low literacy levels.
Teachers were selected from several schools across the district:
- Children’s Welfare Islamic Primary School, Rolal Kemathma (2)
- KDEC Primary School, Laminaia (2)
- Saint Bruno/RC Primary School, Rokupr Wosie (2)
- Omar Muctar Islamic Primary School, Bassia Bundu (1)
- SLMB Primary School, Koya (3)
Of the ten teachers chosen, six are women and four are men, reflecting ABC-Development’s commitment to gender inclusion.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mohamed Issa Bangura expressed appreciation:
“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.”
Former beneficiary Abu Bakar Conteh, now Head Teacher of KDEC Primary School in Laminaia, described the programme as life-changing:
“I started teaching without any formal training. ABC-Development, together with ActionAid, reconstructed our school and supported us to pursue teaching certificates. Today, I proudly serve as head teacher. ABC-Development has truly been a blessing to our communities.”
At the centre of the initiative is Mohamed Hadie Kamara (MO-Brown), Executive Director of ABC-Development. He emphasized that the programme aligns with national efforts to strengthen education 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,” Kamara stated.
Community leaders and school representatives welcomed the intervention, describing it as timely and impactful. For years, schools in the targeted chiefdoms relied heavily on untrained volunteer teachers who, despite their dedication, lacked access to professional development.
With structured distance learning support now in place, the ten beneficiaries are expected to improve lesson delivery, classroom management, and learning outcomes—benefiting hundreds of pupils across Kambia District.
For the teachers, 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 the expectations of their communities and the responsibility to translate training into improved classroom outcomes.
Through this initiative, ABC-Development and ActionAid reaffirm their commitment to grassroots education, local capacity building, and sustainable development in Sierra Leone.