AYV News, May 19, 2026
For years, many children in the rural community of Menthagba faced enormous barriers to accessing education. Some pupils walked nearly five miles each day in search of schooling, while others abandoned their education altogether due to poverty, unsafe learning conditions, and the absence of proper school infrastructure.
That reality began to change on Friday, 15th May 2026, when Africa Global Logistics (AGL) and Freetown Terminal Limited (FTL) officially handed over a newly constructed six-classroom school building and staff office to the community.
The newly commissioned facility, named the Freetown Terminal Limited Primary School, is being viewed by residents as a major breakthrough in improving access to quality education in the area.
The commissioning ceremony attracted government officials, education stakeholders, traditional leaders, journalists, and residents who gathered to witness what many described as a long-awaited intervention in a community where children have struggled for years to learn under difficult conditions.
Community members recalled how lessons were frequently disrupted during the rainy season due to poor and unsafe structures previously used as classrooms.
“Sometimes rain would stop school completely. Children suffered to learn here,” an elderly resident reflected during the ceremony.
The new school now provides a safer and more conducive learning environment for hundreds of children who previously faced daily educational challenges.
The development comes at a time when Sierra Leone continues to grapple with major education challenges, particularly in rural communities where overcrowded classrooms, poor infrastructure, teacher shortages, and limited learning resources remain widespread.
Despite progress made under the Government’s Free Quality School Education programme, many education advocates continue to warn that children in remote communities remain vulnerable to school dropout, child labour, and early marriage due to limited access to proper schools.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, AGL Sub-regional Managing Director, Capt. Fabjanko Kokan, described the project as an investment in the future of the community and the country.
“Today, we are not just opening a building; we are building a future,” he stated, while encouraging residents to take ownership of the facility and ensure its sustainability.
Freetown Terminal Limited General Manager, MarounAbi-aad, also stressed the importance of equal educational opportunities, noting that every child deserves a safe and supportive environment to learn and succeed.
For many pupils, the opening of the new school represented more than just improved infrastructure. Children dressed in school uniforms expressed excitement and renewed hope for their future.
One pupil, Umu Bangura, described the new school as “a dream come true,” saying the improved learning environment has inspired many children to dream of becoming doctors, lawyers, teachers, and national leaders.
Paramount Chief Sheikh Abdulrahman Bangura-Kafoirdescribed the project as life-changing and pledged the community’s commitment to maintaining the facility for future generations.
Observers noted that the project demonstrates the growing role of private sector partnerships and community-driven initiatives in helping bridge educational gaps in underserved communities across Sierra Leone.
The initiative was spearheaded by media personality Stanley Bangura Jnr., whose efforts to support educational development in his ancestral community received widespread praise from residents.
As parents and children toured the new classrooms after the ceremony, many expressed optimism that the school would help create better opportunities for future generations and serve as a pathway out of poverty for children in the community.
