Examining the parental awareness level of government efforts in the provision of free quality education in junior secondary schools in Bonthe municipality, southern Sierra Leone

Abstract

The aim of this research is to assess the level of parental awareness regarding government initiatives for providing free, high-quality education in junior secondary schools within Bonthe Municipality, located in southern Sierra Leone. The study encompasses approximately one hundred (100) principals and teachers selected from five (5) junior secondary schools in Bonthe municipality, as well as one hundred (100) parents whose children are enrolled in these schools. To gather data, a purposive sampling method was employed for the educators, while a simple random sampling approach was utilized for selecting respondents from the pool of one hundred (100) parents. The findings reveal that the majority of parents lack knowledge about the government's commitment to allocate 21% of the national budget towards the Free Quality School Education (FQSE) promotion. Additionally, parents are unaware of their role in supporting the FQSE program, although they do recognize the government's efforts in providing educational materials. Furthermore, school authorities have not sufficiently informed parents about the government's initiatives in supplying educational materials. Based on these findings, the study proposes several recommendations. Firstly, the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL), through the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary School Education (MBSSE), should organize training workshops and seminars for parents to educate them about the government's dedication to promoting the FQSE program in Sierra Leone, as well as clarifying the expected contributions of parents to complement governmental efforts. Secondly, the MBSSE should provide training for their School Quality Assurance officials on media engagement ethics to effectively communicate with the public about the FQSE program and the role parents are expected to play.