Supporting teachers

Due to tight budgets, teachers across Sierra Leone receive a meagre salary from the government. This covers them to work weekdays from 8.00am to 1:30pm only. As students at St Joseph’s have additional learning needs, most classes continue to 3.00pm, with students studying for the BECE secondary school entrance exam, or attending Senior Secondary School being taught until 4.00pm. On Saturdays and some evenings, there are also extra classes. The Friends have funded additional payments to teachers to cover these extra, otherwise unpaid hours. It is only thanks to the generosity of our supporters that it is possible for the teachers to offer these extra classes.

Providing high quality audiology

The Audiology Department is a vital part of the school and until 2023 has been led by an educational audiologist, Monica Tomlin, based in the UK. Monica has dedicated many years to the school, travelling out on many occasions and volunteering her time and expertise. The Friends have funded much of her travel and paid for the equipment that she has been able to source and transport with her, so that all the students have had access to the provision of modern hearing aids. During her visits, Monica has trained the teachers in the skills needed to provide education for hearing impaired students, and improved the technical skills of the audiologists, and the Friends have supported this as much as possible.