January 23, 2018 By Joseph S. Margai
Class of 1995/96 Alumni of the Albert Academy has last Saturday (20th January), in the school compound, donated 50 chairs and desks to the school in order to cushion challenges to provide sitting accommodation for pupils.
The Class of 1995/96, who sometimes in 2017 donated fifteen million Leones (Le15m) to the school, has deemed it fit to donate chairs and desks to the school, so as to contribute to their alma mater.
Alhaji Justice Abubakarr King, President of the Albert Academy Alumni Association, who was a pupil of the school in the 1960s, expressed his delight for the Class of 1995/96 for their continuous support to the development of the school.
He said there had been significant improvement in the school as all of the classes of alumni have been directing support without hesitation.
“Before our numerous interventions in the school, many things were going down the drain but we have been able to do our best in ensuring that the right things are done in order to maintain standards,” he said.
He said plans were underway to refurbish the Albert Academy boarding home and that once that is done the school would return to one shift.
Justice King said the diaspora branches of the alumni were always ready to support the school, as they had already spent seventy million Leones (Le70m) to upgrade certain things in the school.
“The school has many problems, some of which were inherited, and some were caused by the school administration. Indiscipline and corruption are the order of the day, but we have put lots of modalities in place to address some of these problems,” he said, adding that plans were also underway to pave the entire school compound by December this year.
Justice King, who was the provider of flowers and pioneer of the flower gardens in the school compound, said alumni must endeavour to beautify the school compound always.
He noted that there were some armchair critics who have done nothing for the school, but would say all sorts of ‘rubbish’ about the school.
“I want the parents to know that at Albert Academy we make the rules and the pupils are bound to adhere to them. Pupils should be in the school at 8:30 in the morning and no one would change this,” he said.
He thanked the Class of 1995/96 for the donation and noted that they would address the problem of sitting accommodation in the school, while calling on other alumni to emulate the Class of 1995/96.
Alex Bangura, a member of Class of 1995/96, said they have limited resources but they have unlimited love for the school that has contributed so much in their lives.
He recalled that while they were attending the school, they used to have personal chairs and desks but in recent years many pupils were sitting on “long benches” that can accommodate five or more pupils, thereby preventing the teacher to move freely in the classrooms.
He noted that that was the reason they decided to provide chairs and desks to the school.
He showered praises on Justice King, saying that since he was elected alumni president he has made remarkable progress in the school, including urging all classes of alumni to support the school.
Marvyn Denis Dingie, who got the best result in the “O” Level among the Class of 1995/96, said few months ago photos were circulated on social media (Whatsapp and Facebook) showing pupils sitting on broken benches and standing during classes.
“For us as alumni, this was unacceptable. We felt very bitter about the situation that has urged us to make this donation of desks and chairs which cost over Le15m. We immediately visited the school and the principal of the senior secondary school, Mr. Morie Aruna, took us through the classrooms and we deemed it fit to make this humble donation,” he said.
Both the principals of junior and secondary schools were in attendance at the event.