ME Against Poverty Inc

Yonibana Secondary School is the oldest senior secondary school in Yoni chiefdom-Mile 91 area. It was established in 1964 and has a student population of approximately 1,600 ranging from junior secondary school students to senior secondary school students. There are two principals and 45 teachers of whom over 80% are trained and qualified. The school is meant purposely to serve the local communities including Yonibana Town.

The primary occupation of inhabitants in these communities is farming which many of them solely depend on to meet their immediate needs and cover school fees for children. Roughly 80% of parents are illiterate and characterized by abject poverty which makes it difficult to send their children to school. Students spend most of their time after school working on farms to help pay for their schooling. This makes it difficult for most of the students to spend quality time on their academics. The school used to have a well equipped library and standard infrastructure, including a well furnished multi-purpose hall which gave it the reputation of being among the best schools in the provinces. However, the 11 years civil war in Sierra Leone from 1991-2002 contributed to the dilapidation of the school as the library was completely shattered and some buildings were destroyed.

Presently, the school's facilities are inadequate, classrooms terribly congested, school buildings are too old and some are in deplorable conditions, including the school assembly hall, which is now used as a classroom to help ease the problem of classroom space. The Yonibana Secondary School Administration has a culture of holding regular meetings with the Community Teachers Association (CTA), Yonibana Old Students Association (YOSA), Board of governors and other similar groups. This meeting used to be held at the school assembly hall. Now, each time such meetings are held, the school administration is faced with the dilemma of either interrupting class instruction in the assembly hall or looking for other places which are most times expensive and not so conducive. In addition, the school can no longer accommodate neighboring schools social activities which use to serve as a source of income for the Yonibana School to cover some administrative costs.

The absence of an equipped and conducive library in the school and the ability of its beneficiary communities (specifically students and teachers) to read and do research is presently posing a threat to the quality standard of education which the school used to offer. Also, it is clear that the school is no longer on the same level with other older schools in the country as it used to be, especially with the introduction of Information Technology and the inclusion of computer knowledge in the educational system. Knowledge of computers is also becoming an important factor for some employers to consider when hiring potential employees.

About 98% of the school population which includes teachers and students are computer illiterate. This is presently adversely affecting the school and the surrounding communities as a whole. So, with the aim of improving the standard of education in Sierra Leone, there needs to be a multi-purpose hall which will serve as a computer lab, a library and canteen.

The presence of a computer laboratory with internet access would help students, teachers, and the community to connect globally and gain access to information. This would help them broaden their horizon, realize their potential, build self-confidence and reduce ignorance. The computer lab will empower many young people and adults and help them get formal jobs. The community will produce more informed and educated people which will in turn, reduce the high levels of illiterate and unskilled youth and adults in the affected communities. Moreover, the library will help to improve the standard of education in the affected communities as teachers and pupils will have a conducive place to read and do research. And, in a bid to improve the standard of education in the country's rural areas, the library will help greatly towards achieving this goal.