By Baba Sillah
The principal of Armitage Senior Secondary School, Sulayman Keita, has appealed for urgent help to address the food shortage which he said might affect the education of the students if not addressed within a reasonable period of time.
The principal made the urgent call after an inspection of the school by the Janneh Commission on Wednesday as part of the site visit in the region in the ongoing probing of the financial dealings of Jammeh and his close associates.
The delegation conducted a round-tour of the school to see the condition of the school as well as the welfare of the students even though it was not part of their formal mandate.
Established in 1927 as the first high school built by the British colonialists, Armitage is a boarding school which has produced some of the country’s top intellectuals.
According to the principal, the school is currently facing food crisis which might force the school to close if immediate action is not taken by the Education ministry.
Mr Keita who took over the school a few years ago, explained to the delegation the deteriorating condition of the school as well as the challenges the school is facing.
“We use four bags of rice everyday to feed 500 students. We have reported the matter to the Ministry of Education for help but still now nothing has been done to address the matter. The supply given cannot serve the students for more than a month considering we cater for the students’ basic three daily meals,” the principal told Commission Chairman Sourahata Janneh.
He pleaded for immediate action to resolve the matter and also to improve the infrastructure of the school to attract more students to regain its lost glory.
Chairman Janneh recommended for immediate action to be taken and advised the principal to further channel the matter to the right authorities in order to address the situation.
