The United Methodist Church of Sierra Leone has 224 primary schools and 26 secondary schools. Operation Classroom/Indiana is in partnership with 10 of the secondary schools and one primary school. Operation Classroom/Colorado (Rocky Mountain Conference) is in partnership with 2 schools. In Sierra Leone the school system is based on the British system, and follows—basically--our US school year. A junior secondary school is equivalent to our grades 7-9. A senior secondary school is equivalent to our grades 10-12.

Beginning January 1, 2009, all Operation Classroom school related projects have one advance special number: 12922A. If you wish your gift to go to a particular school, write the special number/then the name of the school. Or you may write a check to Operation Classroom, or give a gift by credit card (see home page). Operation Classroom is dependent upon the gifts of individuals and churches to support all their programs.

Schools which contain both Junior and Secondary Divisions

ALBERT ACADEMY

Albert Academy is located on Berry Street in Freetown. The school began on October 4, 1904, and was named after American missionary, Rev. Ira E. Albert. It has grown from 6 students to nearly 3200, and currently has a staff of 126. Albert Academy is one of the most successful institutions of learning in Sierra Leone.

Priorities include:

• Making the computer room dust-free
• 12 more computers and 6 printers
• Repairing the wall around campus
• Upgrading the science lab
• Renovating the classrooms
• Providing scholarships for 100 student

BAOMA SECONDARY SCHOOL

Baoma Secondary School is in the Koya chiefdom in the Eastern District and is approximately 35 miles from Bo. The school has 750 students and a teaching staff of 38. Baoma emphasizes self-help.

Priorities include:

• Assisting in establishing a 600 tree oil palm farm to help the school become self-supporting. (For $9 a person can provide an oil palm seedling and the needed care to bring it into production.)
• Completion of a staff duplex
• Upgrading the science lab
• Developing a more comprehensive vocational program
• Providing 100 scholarships

BO CENTENARY SCHOOL

Bo Centenary Secondary School -- Bo is the second largest city in Sierra Leone. It is the administrative center of the Southern province. The school has an enrollment of more than 1000 students.

Priorities include:

• Completion of the renovation of the classrooms
• Developing a more comprehensive vocational program
• Providing 100 scholarships
  

FERGUSSON MEMORIAL SECONDARY SCHOOL

(Moyamba Boys’ Secondary School)

Fergusson Memorial Secondary is a boys’ school, with an enrollment of 450 and a staff of 28. The school has a strong science program and plans to develop an effective vocational program.

Priorities include:

• Upgrading the science lab
• Assisting in the development of a more comprehensive vocational program, including renovation of the piggery
• Providing 100 scholarships for needy students

KOIDU SECONDARY SCHOOL

Koidu Secondary School is located about 225 miles from Freetown, in the diamond mining area, on the edge of Koidu Town. It was closed for 5 years during the war. During the war most of the buildings were badly damaged and some totally destroyed. Three of the buildings have been refurbished, and four others need to be done. The library was badly damaged and has been repaired and expanded by a workteam from the University of Indianapolis. Koidu Secondary has a current enrollment of over 1700 students.

Priorities include:

• Assistance in renovation of the classrooms
• Establishing a strong vocational program
• Providing 100 scholarships
• Providing the needed books for the library

TAIAMA SECONDARY SCHOOL

Taiama is a historic town in the history of United Methodist missions in Sierra Leone. It was here that the late Dr. Charles Leader, a missionary from Indiana, built the Bible Training Institute. In 2009 an addition to the school library was constructed. Currently, Taiama Secondary School has an enrollment of approximately 500 students.

Priories include:

• Renovation of some classrooms
• Assisting in the development of a more comprehensive vocational program
• Providing 100 scholarships for needy students

MAKENI SECONDARY SCHOOL

Makeni Secondary School is located in the capital of the Northern Province. The first building was built in 1994. The second was completed in 2007 by the Rocky Mountain Area Operation Classroom. The secondary school has an enrollment of more than 600, and shares its campus with the primary school--which also has an enrollment of over 600. Minnesota OC Ministries recently completed an additional primary school building. Makeni Secondary is currently in the process of constructing a science and library building.

Priorities include:

• Construction of a chapel/auditorium
• Upgrading the science lab
• Assisting in the development of a more comprehensive vocational program
• Providing 100 scholarships for needy students

Junior Secondary Schools

FREETOWN UM GIRLS’ SCHOOL

Freetown United Methodist Girls’ School is currently located on Circular Drive in Freetown. The school opened in 2001 with 500 girls and now has an enrollment of 1300. It is the only United Methodist girls’ school in Freetown.

Priorities include:

• Developing plans and raising funds for the new campus
• Providing desks and chairs
• Providing clinic supplies
• Providing 100 scholarships for needy students
  

FAKUNYA AGRICULTURAL and VOCATIONAL SCHOOL

Fakunya Agricultural and Vocational School is located near Moyamba in the chiefdom of Gandorhun. It became a United Methodist School in 2001, and has a current enrollment of 500. Vocational education is a major focus. The school emphasizes community and self help (see the duplex in the picture below).

Priorities include:

• Providing steel doors and windows to make the present buildings more secure
• Construction of a science and library building
• Establishing a science lab
• Assisting in the development of a more comprehensive vocational program
• Providing 100 scholarships for needy students

MOKANJI AGRICULTURAL AND VOCATIONAL SCHOOL

Mokanji Agricultural and Vocational School is located on the edge of Mokanji Hills, about 40 miles southeast of Moyamba in the Lower Banta Chiefdom. It has an enrollment of approximately 300 students. Mokanji school has one 7- classroom building.

Priorities include:

• Renovation of several unoccupied houses to provide staff housing
  
• Construction of a classroom building
• Construction of an agriculture program building
• Establishing a science lab
• Assisting in the development of a more comprehensive vocational program
• Providing 100 scholarships for needy students

HERITAGE UM SCHOOL

Heritage UM School is a new school located near Kabala, the capital and largest city of Koinadugu District in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone.

The city lies about 80 miles northeast of Makeni, the largest city and economic center of northern Sierra Leone and about 185 miles east of Freetown. Operation Classroom/Rocky Mountain Conference and the Heritage High School of Littleton, CO , are constructing the school.

Primary Schools

URBAN CENTER UM PRIMARY SCHOOL

Before: 4 -classroom building—1 floor Now: 8 classrooms—2 floors
Operation Classroom has recently entered into a partnership with the Urban Center Primary School at the Kissy Urban Center. The school has an enrollment of 700 students. OC added the four classrooms (second story) to accommodate the large student body.

Before: 4 -classroom building—1 floor

Now: 8 classrooms—2 floors

Priorities include:

• Establishing a library
• Developing a more comprehensive pre-school program
• Providing scholarships for needy students.
  

Other schools related to Operation Classroom

Joseph and Carolyn Wagner UM School

The Joseph and Carolyn Wagner Secondary School is located in Kenema. The school began in 2004, and has an enrollment of 300 students. The school has been meeting in the primary school buildings, as they await completion of the construction of secondary school classrooms.

Priorities include:

• Finishing construction of classrooms
• Constructing a library
• Fencing the campus
• Providing needed school supplies and scholarships

Operation Classroom also provides supplies for

• Harford School for Girls
• Yonibana Primary School
• Central Primary School
• Koidu Girls’ School
• Rotifunk UM School
• Shenge UM School

You may support the schools by sending your gift to:

• The Operation Classroom office marked :name of school
  
• Your local church marked; Sierra Leone Operation Classroom : 12922a
• With your credit card. Go to the home page and click DONATE and complete the donate line.