By Sahid Bangura

Roaming around the central of Freetown in the hot burning sun was I behind my transparent fitted glasses, with a shorthand notebook held in my hand. As I toured from school to school, and to other public places like the beach areas and the central business places, I experienced things that are beyond my forecast. Painted were the peripheries of plethora school environments with crimson beautiful flowers, teddy bears, and love-note cards. School going teens, with pinky, and reddish popped-out lips flooded around the selling points of Valentine’s packages, were desirously purchasing the items bountifully, like none of them would if it were a book shop. Plethora of the school compounds which are known to be a flooded and blatant schools, were as quiet and calm as abandoned vicinity; to me, it seemed like it was a public holiday. As I leaped, I shook my head and tore a ponderous smile.

Glamorously, were the streets with couples of young folks in red and white roaming helter-skelter like Chief Priests? Among the many public places I visited, the shores of the beaches were a no go area for any man of a Godly calibre; despite the hot-pants and other form of half-naked dresses, seeing young teens dressed in uniform at the beach, got me astonished… I pondered if there were schools at the beaches. However, as I proceed with the revelation of my journey on that unfortunate day, questions like, “Are there any organization concerned about the welfare of our school going children? Is the government not concerned about the wellbeing of our girl children anymore?” would pop on you mind.

Valentine’s Day, which is always celebrated on the 14th February 2023, is unarguably an annual event which is associated with love, romance, and affection. Historically, Valentine was a common name, and there were between twelve and fourteen people called, Saints Valentine. At that period, Saints were people with exceptional holiness. Now, let us get a clue of what “Valentine’s Day,” as a annual global celebration means. According to a report, during the third century, “As far as anyone can tell, the Saint Valentine of Valentine’s Day was one of two guys preaching the good word in Rome in the third century. One of these two was martyred on February 14th 269, thus giving us the date for his eponymous day.” With this backdrop, having experienced the way and manner in which the day is celebrated in this part of the world, is quite antonymous to what it is said to be. Although the propounded historical assertions of Valentine’s day are vary, but none of them depicts the any form of intimacy among school going children, which is common in my country, as affirmed by experience.

The celebration of Valentine’s Day has become so appalling that it is causing negative effect on the mental health of many school children (pupils). As a lover’s event, many people are engulfed in a stereotypical thought, believing that Valentine’s Day is a life time opportunity of showcasing their love, appreciations and affection to their partners. For some pupils who try not to join the bandwagon, on Valentine’s day, due to the extent at which others celebrate the event, their feelings of loneliness and social isolation get exacerbated, which often causes symptoms of depression and anxiety, leaving them with little or no option, but to get themselves involved in game . During my expedition to some schools, the despaired faces of some pupils whom I interfaced with around the school compounds during lunch period, got me inquisitive. Thoughtfully, some who are exposed to relationship, may feel pressured to meet certain expectations and may experience stress in trying to making their day perfect, thus leading to feelings of anxiety, which can further aggravate underlying mental conditions; thus affecting them negatively in their studies.

As I explore the affectionate day with a burning desire of unearthing some of the dubious activities which our school going children are often associated with, I noted that the event is an impediment to early teenage pregnancy. During my tour, I noticed that some school girls who were in their classrooms during the early hours of school, left their schools prior to the normal time of their schooling duration with ordinary attires. To my dismay, curiously with a finger on my lips, I asked whether or not the school authority is aware of the ongoing actions, or if they were just pretending not to see what was actually happening, unfortunately, I did not get any response because, I was standing alone like the statue of “Kailondo.” As a critically observed, it was explicit that many of them that left their schools in ordinary attires did not go to their homes immediately, because neither would their parents accommodate them at home during school hours, nor would they expect them to leave school premises for another place during teaching hours. However, due to my vast ethical skill, I would not claim their whereabouts, but you and I know that you probably know where they left for, but we pray it does not result into future turbulence.

Sincerely, don’t you think that this event could also cause school dropouts? Yes, it can! From what I observed, out of 100% of those who were intimately enjoying themselves, about 70% were school goers. Thus, chances are that plethora of the school goers often involve in sexual intimacy during Valentine’s Day, which leaves a good number of them out of school after getting pregnant due to some reasons like stigma, early marriage, and poverty. Prior to that celebrated day, I crossed paths with a slim and dark skin Lady, dressed in a long tight jeans and blouse, trading along Water Street junction, at Congo Cross. She introduced herself as an ex pupil of one of the renowned girl’s school in Freetown. Friendly was I to her, we laughed and threw jokes at each other which left me with no other option but to share a bench with her under her giant umbrella.

After interval of discussions, interestingly, we saw couples of students majestically walking along the road with their hands crossed against each other. I smiled and chuckled. The young Ex-pupil, sadly sobbed, and asked why I was smiling? In response, I asked if she has any idea on the implications of Valentine’s Day on school going children of this generation. She tore a very thundering smile, and said: “I am a victim of Valentine’s day repercussion. About two years ago, while I was in Senior Secondary School, level two (SSS 2) at the age of sixteen, it was on this celebration I had my first sexual intimacy with a man, and eventually, it led to pregnancy. My parents, who barely feed the home twice a day, denounce their responsibility over me, which brought my academic pursuit to an end.” Quite a said story, but nothing much was said in furtherance, so I took my live to set for more.

The tour, which lasted for about ten hours, did not only helps to unearth the ugly activities that are enshrined in the valentine’s day celebration, but it also proffer a deep insight on some of the causes underlying the activities which are often carried out by our school going children. As I end my tour with nothing more interesting than what I had seen and observed, wearily, I lied on the shore of Aberdeen beach with my arms under my head, and my eyes staring at the sky like a hungry hunter. At the beach, while I was having fun with the beautiful nature of fresh air and melodious waves of the tide, I refreshed my whole thought on the influence of the celebrated event, focusing on its potential impediments, which are drastically devouring our young ones in schools.

To the natures around me, I asked if the success or downfall of a school going child only depends on the efforts of the teachers and parents/guidance. I nodded saying, yes! Yes!! Their efforts count a lot in the progress of every school going child, but they are not the only pioneer of success to children. Considering the fact that parents are caretakers of homes, while teachers are governors of schools, are there any personnel playing a watchdog role for school going children in the street? Yes, there are personnel! There are numbers of organizations out there who claimed be functioning for children’s welfare, scuffing millions of Leones in the name of protecting the welfare of children, it is so disgusting! There are also other halfwit youths out there, who as a group called themselves, “Patriotic Organization.” I pondered if they actually know what it takes to be called a patriot. Especially at a moment like valentine’s day, when the involvements of teenagers in intimate relationship is evident to all, much is expected of those organizations and patriots to stand their grounds by propagating the do’s and don’ts of Valentine’s day celebration, until then, the negative effect of Valentine’s day will evolve to a more complex situation, beware!

Angrily, I took a new turn of critical thought. At that juncture, I wished I had the opportunity to meet our Excellency, Fitima Bio to kindly hear from her the sustainability of her project, the “Hands Off Our Girls.” Kindly, let us put our political differences aside and be realistic here! As a parent or a school goer, asides the unusual supply of the “free sanitary pads” to school children, what else have the children benefited from that project? What difference has it made on schooling? I presume, there has been nothing fruitful. Could the system be a kite-fly for it to be recognized internationally? Okay, as it is to everyone’s knowledge, I have always known that the project was projected to enrich them in every aspect of life. However, if the project cannot afford to support the girls materially, it will be appreciable to every parent and teacher if it takes a new dimension of campaigning against school going girls celebrating Valentine’s Day, romantically. So as to prevent early pregnancy, school dropout, and early marriage, the authority concern should act tough. As it was getting dusk at the beach, wearily, I sighed and stood up to my feet, and left with the hope that our next generation be protected from the day that destroys destinies, Valentine’s Day.