Tuesday, 24 June 2008
-
School Violence in Freetown
Violence has broken out among the children in the educational institutions of Freetown, Sierra Leone. The violence has been linked to the inter- school sporting events. During these events students have been starting fights and riots. They have smuggled in guns, knives, and razor blades into the stadium where sporting events take place.
Violence for students in the schools is not something new for Freetown. In 2002 children that participated as soldiers in the rebel armies were released at the end of the Civil War. As these children transitioned from soldier to student they continued to carry their weapons into the schools. The violence has continued to escalate since this time. Simeon Jaka is a teacher in the Freetown school system and he said that he sees the violence as the outcome of the influence of the Western culture. Jaka said that there has been a great increase in the popularity of hip hop music filled with violent and vulgar lyrics. Some students have then brought these lyrics into action against their peers.
There are some students that are refusing to tolerate the violence and have hope to end it. Some students from the St. Edwards school in Freetown have formed the Students Anti- Violence Movement and are working on convincing their peers at St. Edwards and other schools that violence needs to be eliminated.
We lift these children in Freetown, Sierra Leone to God and we pray that violence in the school systems would completely end.
Pray also that the students that are working against violence would be strengthened and encouraged by adults around them.
Pray that children would learn how to live in peace with each other in Freetown and that they would come to truly love their neighbor as their self.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7465836.stm
-
recommend
- recs 0
-
share
-
email
- sent 0
Post a Comment