Bearing in mind that the abnormal upsurge in violence among young people ranks high among the most serious social problems with which we, as a nation, have to contend, the National Union of Sierra Leone Students, under the astute leadership of Mr. Mohamed Sheridan Kamara, is embarking on a nationwide campaign to discourage its constituents – students and pupils in the length and breadth of this country – from the trendy attraction to violence.
Appalling and obscene as it is for many communities, and for this union in particular, the lamentable reality that this deadly attraction to violence particularly affects young people is beyond acceptance. If left unaddressed, we run the risk of bringing into being a lost generation of violent youngsters. Many of them we have already lost to the prisons, mental care units and violent lifestyles.
It is our settled belief that what we need now is a period of resolute and positive action to put an end to this worrying trend – to curb violence in all its manifestations. This is fundamental in saving our erring younger population from making a further plunge into so detestable an abyss.
Mindful of the urgency of this task, we will kick-start our anti violence campaign on 22nd January, 2016 at the Eastern Polytechnic in Kenema. We have overcome the difficulty of brining in participants who would help us to inject energy and enthusiasm into this campaign: participants from selected primary and secondary schools, the police, representatives from civil societies, students from Njala University, the entire student body of Eastern Polytechnic, dignitaries of great importance, among others, have been invited. This assemblage will gather at the Kenema Old District Council Hall to add their voices to the clarion call for an eschewal of violence and the giving of guidance to our younger population.
This will be replicated in Makeni, where students from Port Loko Teachers’ College, Unimak, Northern Polytechnic, selected primary and secondary schools, inter alia, will converge at the main campus of Northern Polytechic on the 25th instant to take a total approach to the festering problem.
We will thereafter draw the curtain on this campaign at Mary Kingsly Auditorium, Fourah Bay College on the 27th instant. Students from Milton Margai College of Education and Technology, IAMTECH, Freetown Teachers’ College, COMAHS, IPAM, pupils at primary and secondary levels and many others have also been invited. This, we believe, will become a factor in shaping a better future for our younger population. This union remains committed to giving students the top-quality representation they deserve.
Long Live Students’ Unionism!!
Long Live NUSS!!
Signed:
Osman Bikal Kamara, Public Relations Officer, NUSS
