By Jonny Mustpha
PUJEHUN, Sierra Leone,
A five-year-old girl has died and several other children were injured after a primary school building collapsed in southern Sierra Leone, raising alarm over the safety of deteriorating school infrastructure in rural communities.
The victim, identified as Kadijah Sannoh, was killed when part of a classroom block at SLMB Primary School in Gallines Chiefdom gave way, according to local sources and eyewitness accounts.
Several pupils sustained injuries in the incident, which has triggered fears among residents that more children could be at risk. Community members say many schools across Pujehun District are in deplorable condition, with aging structures, weak foundations and little maintenance.
“This is not an isolated case. Most of our schools are death traps,” a local resident said, calling for urgent government intervention.
Authorities have not yet released an official statement on the cause of the collapse, but concerns are mounting over poor construction standards, lack of funding, and neglect in rural education infrastructure.
Education advocates warn that without immediate inspections and rehabilitation, similar incidents could occur elsewhere, putting hundreds of children at risk.
The tragedy has renewed calls for the government and development partners to prioritize school safety and infrastructure upgrades, particularly in underserved chiefdoms.
An investigation into the incident is expected.
