By Alvin Lansana Kargbo

Amnesty International Sierra Leone held a strategic engagement meeting with teacher coordinators of its Human Rights Friendly School Clubs in Freetown, aimed at strengthening club effectiveness and enhancing leadership within schools. With the theme: "Strengthening Human Rights Friendly School Clubs and Enhancing Teacher Coordinators Leadership."

The meeting took place on Thursday 5th February 2026 at the Christian Health Association Sierra Leone Hall, Kingharman Road in Freetown.

It brought together teacher coordinators from schools participating in Amnesty’s Human Rights Friendly Schools programme in the Western Area. Furthermore, it focused on assessing the performance of the clubs, addressing implementation challenges and developing coordinated strategies to deepen the impact of human rights education in schools and surrounding communities.

Speaking at the meeting, the Section Director of Amnesty International Sierra Leone, Solomon M. Sogbandi, said the engagement was intended to move beyond routine capacity building toward more strategic and results-oriented outcomes. He noted that while previous engagements had focused on assemblies and awareness talks, Amnesty now sought deliberate interventions that would produce measurable change in learners’ attitudes, behavior and understanding of human rights.

Solomon Sogbandi explained that human rights education should help teachers and students understand dignity, equality, justice and shared humanity. He said it equips learners to question injustice, challenge misinformation and engage constructively in society, particularly in contexts marked by inequality and limited access to credible information. The Section Director described governance as a social contract in which citizens entrust leaders with authority and resources, stressing that leaders have a responsibility to improve people’s lives rather than widen social and economic gaps.

He emphasized that rights must be understood alongside responsibilities, noting that no right is absolute. Using freedom of expression as an example, he said while citizens have the right to criticize leaders and hold Government accountable, that right does not extend to defamation or slander. According to him, responsible citizenship requires understanding the limits and obligations attached to every right.

On education practice, Solomon Sogbandi identified critical thinking, dialogue and empathy as key competencies that human rights education should promote. He urged teachers to be analytical in addressing student behavior by examining underlying causes rather than focusing only on symptoms also encouraging coordinators to recognize diverse learner profiles, including outspoken students and quieter learners who may contribute meaningfully when properly engaged. He cautioned against practices that undermine students’ confidence and called for teaching approaches that nurture different strengths.

Solomon Sogbandi said teacher coordinators carry a critical responsibility in shaping learners’ character and protecting human rights within schools. He stressed that authority over children should never be used to justify disrespect or abuse urging teachers to model values such as respect, honesty, accountability and obedience, noting that teachers are widely regarded by learners and parents as trusted sources of knowledge and guidance.

He warned against humiliating disciplinary practices, including shouting, insults and the use of obscene language, saying such actions undermine the very values schools seek to promote. He also cautioned teachers against accepting gifts or favors from learners, explaining that such practices could compromise professional judgment, weaken classroom authority and amount to unethical conduct, even within a challenging economic environment.

Addressing child protection concerns, Solomon Sogbandi highlighted the need to protect girls and other vulnerable children noting that changes in a child’s behavior may be linked to emotional or psychological distress arising from home environments, including parental pressure or abuse by step-parents. He urged teachers to prioritize guidance and counseling, build trust with learners and handle disclosures with confidentiality and care.

The Section Director of Amnesty International further called on teacher coordinators to actively engage school authorities to prioritize human rights education, warning that assumptions about existing knowledge were often misplaced. He referenced ongoing challenges within educational institutions, including cases of sexual harassment and sex-for-grades, and stressed the need for prevention, accountability and strong support systems to address such abuses.

Solomon Sogbandi said Amnesty International Sierra Leone would continue to support teacher coordinators through curriculum-aligned human rights education materials, training workshops, toolkits, career resources and opportunities for participation in global actions. He added that there may be opportunities for peer learning and exchanges with counterparts in other countries as well as pilot incentive schemes to motivate sustained engagement.

The meeting also allowed teacher coordinators to share reflections and practical experiences from their schools. Participants agreed on a set of concrete actions to strengthen coordination, accountability and impact across the Human Rights Friendly School Clubs.

Key Action Points from the Engagement

- Establishment of a WhatsApp forum for all teacher coordinators


- Introduction of an Amnesty Hour in participating schools


- Quarterly coordination meetings to be held on a rotational basis among schools


- Submission of monthly reports by teacher coordinators to Amnesty International Sierra Leone


- Organization of inter-school exchange visits among Human Rights Friendly School Clubs


- Provision of Amnesty International Sierra Leone materials to participating schools


- Election of an executive body among teacher coordinators to provide structured feedback to Amnesty


- Continued capacity building on human rights education, sexual and gender-based violence, climate change, HIV and AIDS education.

Amnesty International Sierra Leone said the outcomes of the engagement will guide the next phase of the Human Rights Friendly School Clubs programme, with a renewed focus on leadership, accountability and measurable impact in schools. The organization said strengthening the role of teacher coordinators remains central to building a sustained culture of human rights, dignity and responsibility among learners and within their communities. https://thecalabashnewspaper.com/aisl-engages-teacher-coordinators-to-strengthen-human-rights-school-clubs/