ACC Presents Braille Materials to Blind School in Bo

Concord Times (Freetown)

Anthony B. Samu

6 June 2011

Freetown — In its pursuit to educate the wider public including the visually impaired, the Anti-Corruption Commission presented two reading documents in braille to the Paul School for the Blind in Bo on Thursday 26th May 2011 at the Baiima Road school compound. At the presentation ceremony were the school administration, the Sierra Leone police and pupils of the school.

Explaining the purpose of the visit, Anthony Samu – the district coordinator for the Anti-Corruption Commission, Bo district, said their visit was to reaffirm the commission’s commitment to educating all Sierra Leoneans in the fight against corruption irrespective of the individual’s physical status. The ACC, he said, was therefore in the school to start addressing some of the requests the visually impaired had made earlier to the commission.

Making a brief statement, the regional manager south of the Anti-Corruption Commission, Patrick Sandi said the ACC is committed to fulfilling its mandate in the area of public education and sensitization. He told the audience that the ACC has been demonstrating keen interest in the Paul School for the Blind in Bo, noting that disability does not necessarily mean inability. There are pupils in the school with wonderful skills and that are highly intelligent, he reiterated.

Mr. Sandi however cautioned the pupils that they should be law abiding as good citizens for nobody is above the law. He went on to inform the school administration and pupils that the commission had produced the first two ACC educational documents in braille for the visually impaired which the ACC Bo office has come to present to the school. The documents, he said, are the ‘Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2008’ and ‘Best Practice Guide on the use of Government Property’ including vehicles, government quarters, telephones, computers and other equipment.

These documents will enhance the understanding of the pupils as to see the support they can give to the ACC. Sandi therefore encouraged the pupils to find time and thoroughly read the two documents.

Earlier, the students together with their headmaster welcomed the ACC team from the Bo office in a very fascinating and emotional chorus song.

In his remarks, the Headmaster of the Paul School for the Blind, Mohamed Sallieu Conteh on behalf of the school administration and pupils said he was so delighted for the visit of the ACC team on their campus. He lauded the commission for its good work not only for the visually impaired, but for the entire citizenry of this country.

Receiving the braille documents on behalf of the school and other visually impaired, Conteh thanked the ACC for the consideration given to them as they have been looking forward to this. He assured them that the documents will be placed at a strategic location that is accessible to all in the school and other visually impaired visitors.

AllAfrica – All the Time