  |
| 9-year-old Kofi Mason-Sesay |
Kofi Mason-Sesay, who has joint British and Sierra Leonean nationality, was due to spend several weeks at St Simon's Catholic Primary School in Stockport.
However, the placement was cancelled after 'ignorant' parents campaigned against Kofi or his British mother Miriam going to the school, fearing they could pass on the disease which has killed at least 678 people in Sierra Leone.
Kofi was due to join St Simon's while Mrs Mason-Sesay carries out fundraising visits to other schools as part of her work with charity EducAid Sierra Leone, which runs schools for vulnerable children in the west African country.
Public Health England have confirmed there is no risk in Kofi or Mrs Mason-Sesay attending the 168 pupil school, but parent power led to the initiative being cancelled.
Continue reading after the cut....
Mrs Mason-Sesay, 48, who set up the charity 14 years ago, said she and Kofi were given the green light to travel by Public Health England, but misunderstandings over the virus has seen them treated like ‘lepers’.
The pair flew into Heathrow last Tuesday, and it had been planned that Kofi would attend classes at St Simon's while he and his mother stayed with family friends in Greater Manchester.
He has been taking lessons at the school during regular visits with his mother to the UK since he was three, and has friends there.
As a British citizen, Kofi has a right to education when he is in the UK, and normally takes classes at the school twice a year, during the spring and autumn, and staying for up to two months.
He last attended in July.
The incubation period for Ebola is between two and 21 days, but Public Health England have classed Kofi and his mother as a category one risk, the lowest possible for someone who has visited an Ebola affected area. There are no restrictions on their activity, and no need for them to be monitored.
It is thought some parents at the school started a petition against the visit, putting pressure on the headteacher and school governors to cancel the trip.
'It’s heartbreaking,' said Mrs Mason-Sesay.
'Unfortunately there was so much pressure from an ignorant parent body that the school had to act.
'The reality is it’s a difficult disease to catch and much of its spread in Africa is to do with traditional burial practices when sufferers have died.
'We’ve been met with leper-type attitudes from wealthy people over-reacting and trying to protect themselves from a threat which isn’t there.'
She added: 'It is heartbreaking and very disappointing - Kofi has been going to classes at that school since he was three and he has friends there.
'But unfortunately there was so much pressure from one ignorant group of parents who bullied the head teacher - who has been very supportive - into taking this stance.
'Ebola has been so hyped up in the media over here, but the reality is it is a difficult disease to catch.
'Much of its spread in Africa is to do with the poor health care and sanitation but that isn't the case here in England.
'We have been treated like lepers by people here who are over-reacting to a disease they don't know a lot about.
'Ebola has been portrayed in the media as jumping out from behind trees and infecting people but in reality it isn't like that.
'You would have to be in direct contact with someone showing symptoms, caring for them or giving them medical attention. But I'm a teacher, not a healthcare worker.
'Schools in Sierra Leone have been closed and children there, like Kofi, know not to touch and to avoid physical contact.
'We are aware of the precautions - we call it the ABC of Ebola, avoid bodily contact.'
The education charity, which runs a number of partnerships with British schools, was also going to visit the school as part of its UK fundraising drive.
Instead of going to lessons at St Simon's, Kofi, who attends one of the EducAid schools in Sierra Leone, is now accompanying his mother on her fundraising efforts.
'We run nine schools in Sierra Leone and schools there have not been allowed to reopen yet because of the spread of Ebola. It is devastating,' said Mrs Mason-Sesay.
'But it is important for us as a charity to keep as many children as possible engaged with their education, and that we also plan for the post-Ebola situation.
'We are desperately trying to raise much needed funds to help children who have been orphaned by Ebola or other diseases.
'We don't want any negative fallout to come from ignorant misconceptions.'
Mrs Mason-Sesay, who is originally from Dulwich, East London, said she would not have allowed her son to mix with other children if he was a risk.
'I like to think I am a reasonable citizen and mother - and there is no way I would be wandering around with my nine-year-old if he had Ebola,' she said.
'We have had one case of Ebola in Britain, but just one, because we contain it. It is a difficult disease to catch but that point has not been taken on by these ignorant parents.
'Part of me thinks "big deal" but we will get over it. My only concern is that all people from West Africa who come to Britain will be treated this way. Let's not just assume, "West Africans are all contagious so we need to keep them out." Let's step up our pursuit of facts and justice rather than just protecting ourselves.
'There is a lot of misinformation out there so I wanted to present the facts to the parents, but it didn't work. We have absolutely no contact with sick people - we're an education charity.'
Last month the school tried to reassure parents via a newsletter that the forthcoming visit posed no risk to the pupils of contracting the disease.
The school took advice from health chiefs in the borough and passed on Public Health England's guidance that anyone travelling from affected countries who were free of symptoms was not infectious.
The letter said: 'Thank you to those of you who have raised concerns about Miriam and Kofi’s forthcoming visit to school in October in relation to the ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone. Your concerns prompted us to contact Dr Baxter, Stockton's communicable diseases expert, who referred us to Public Health England.
'Please rest assured that there is no risk of infection for anybody here at St Simon’s.
'Here is a quote from Public Health England: “Any persons arriving back in the UK having travelled from any of the affected countries, and who are free of symptoms, are not infectious and there should be no restrictions on their school attendance or normal activities.'
However, the school later bowed to the wishes of parents.
Mrs Mason-Sesay moved to Sierra Leone in 2000 to set up a school for vulnerable children and young adults as part of a mission for EducAid which she set up with her brother. The first school she established in Sierra Leone had just 20 pupils, but the charity now educates 3,000 youngsters across nine sites, mostly in rural locations where the pupils 'live in'.
In 2003 she married a local tailor, Alhassan Sesay, and Kofi was born in London in 2005 but moved to Sierra Leone four weeks later.
Alhassan died in 2009 of an infection in Africa and after his death, Mrs Mason-Sesay decided she'd never leave Kofi behind when visiting the UK.
Known as 'The Angel of Freetown' she returns to the UK twice a year to raise awareness of the charity and visit schools around the UK detailing the work they do in Africa.
Kofi would accompany her on her visits to Britain and five years ago was offered an annual placement at St Simon's during a visit. He then was registered as a pupil and would attend classes for up to a month each year.
'I have been going into schools in Stockport for the last eight years,' said Mrs Mason-Sesay. 'Usually Kofi goes into St Simon's while I teach, for a few days or a month, however long I'm there for.
'The head teacher at St Simon's was just very proactive and offered him a place on our first visit. They set up all the legal and insurance details and have him registered as a travelling pupil.
'It's nice for him to go into the same class each time we come over - he's got lots of friends. He was only going to be there for three days on this visit and we've never had problems before. We found out about an issue with Kofi and I two weeks ago when the headteacher contacted me to say we could not visit on this occasion due to concerns about the Ebola virus and the fact we were coming in from Africa.
'The headteacher was very supportive and was saddened at having to cancel.. I sent over information about the illness in an attempt to reassure parents, but it seems it was no use.
'I landed at Heathrow Airport last week and even got myself and Kofi tested which showed a level one risk - which is the lowest possible risk. We did that of our own volition - we didn't have to do that - and we communicated that aswell to the school but it seems the parents had already made their minds up.
'It's only a small group of parents who have complained but unfortunately the school have had to abide by their wishes. I've met many of these parents on a previous occasion and have had no problems before. St Simon's is the only place where parents have rejected our visit. Parents at one other school did raise concerns, but as soon as I sent over information they realised we didn't pose a risk to anyone.
'It's heartbreaking. Ebola is not contained in Sierra Leone because of low levels of education and mistrust between people - the government has been deceiving them for decades. It's a difficult disease to catch and much of its spread in Africa is to do with traditional burial practices when sufferers have died.
'We've been met with leper-type attitudes from wealthy people overreacting and trying to protect themselves from a threat which isn't there. The children always engage with the charity. When I raise awareness in schools, it is children helping children - they want and need the same things.
'It is about getting the kids to engage with that and letting them know there is a big bad world out there but they can make a difference. I try to give them an experience of having changed something.'
Headteacher Elizabeth Inman said: 'It is unfortunate that some misplaced anxiety and misinformation about Ebola, amongst a small group of parents, has been circulated amongst the wider parent body.
'The school will continue to support Educaid by encouraging all parents to give what they can.'
The head suggested to parents that a sizeable donation should be made instead to EducAid to recognise its work in a country 'which has received more than its share of setbacks'.
-DailyMail
Share your thoughts...thanks!
No comments:
Post a Comment