Communicating Justice

DRC Young girl Isangi

The government of Sierra Leone declared free primary school education over five years ago. However the extra costs demanded by the schools, and the frequency at which these demands are made, has become a threat to the education of many children. School authorities blame the government for insufficient and late school subsidies, and often name this as one of the reasons for continuing to ask parents to sustain the schools. But are these monies used in the interest of the children? And are school authorities aware of the effects of these demands on the children? Many children find themselves in desperation to seek money demanded by Sierra Leonean schools. Salamatu Kemokai investigates one such case.

Just before midnight on Friday, November 16th 2007, a nine-year old girl is still selling on the streets of eastern Freetown. She sits among a group of young boys by a garage at Ferry junction. One of them yells to her, “Stop nodding and go home”! She retorts that she has only sold two packets of ginger beer and still needs to sell more. She has eighteen packets left which are worth 1800 leones.

A girl in the Isangi Territory of the DRC. 
May 2006 Photo © Eddy Isango/IRIN

Curious to know what kind of parent or guardian could condone a nine year old on the street so late at night, I give the child 2000 leones and follow her home. 

As she opens the door to their room, she shouts excitedly, “Ina! Ina! This woman has given me 2000 leones and we still have some more ginger to sell tomorrow!”

An old sick woman of about seventy years crawls from her blanket and thanks me. I ask her permission to interview the girl in her presence, which she grants me without hesitation. 

The girl explains that her teacher has made it compulsory for every child in her class to attend extra lessons on Saturdays. She says, “Even if you don’t attend the lessons, you will still pay the money on Monday, otherwise she will flog you every other day until you pay.” According to the girl, these mandatory lessons cost 500 leones. Also mandatory, before being dismissed for lunch break all students must purchase sliced sausages that the teacher sells. Furthermore, talk isn't cheap in this classroom: a pupil must pay a fine of 100 leones for talking in class without the permission of the teacher.

Ina says she tries very hard each week to meet this daily school expenditure. Sometimes, higher demands are made for sports, funerals and purchase of school materials, and because she is ill, the girl has to work for the money herself. 

On a follow-up visit, Ina tells me the girl's mother was burnt in a house during the war and the father has been missing since. The girl was about two months old when their village was attacked and she fled into the bush with her. To date, Ina has not told her grandchild this tragic story because she thinks she is not yet old enough. She meanwhile remains worried about the future of her grandchild once she has passed away.

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