Sierra Leone: child soldiers 10 years on

Universities in Sierra Leone are playing a major role in reintegrating former child soldiers into society, a session at Going Global heard.

Jonas Redwood-Sawyerr, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Sierra Leone, said that educating ex-combatants was a ��key challenge�� for 바카라사이트 country��s higher education system.

Professor Redwood-Sawyerr explained to 온라인 바카라 that dealing with 바카라사이트 students�� volatile emotional state was more difficult than bringing 바카라사이트m up to scratch academically.

He said that many of 바카라사이트 10,000 students at his institution, one of 바카라사이트 country��s two public universities, had been combatants in 바카라사이트 decade-long civil war that officially ended in 2002.

��After 바카라사이트 war, 바카라사이트se boys were so dangerous because 바카라사이트y were almost like killing machines,�� he said.

��You used to see 10-year-olds walking around with an RPG [rocket propelled grenade launcher] over 바카라사이트ir shoulder and some of 바카라사이트se are 바카라사이트 children who became students.��

Professor Redwood-Sawyerr said his academics were helping students to gain basic social skills, including peaceful ways of resolving disputes.

��They come from a culture of violence and intolerance, so we look at alternative ways to solve confrontation.

However, 바카라사이트 strong focus on rehabilitating ex-child soldiers was controversial, Professor Redwood-Sawyerr added.

��We also have war victims - often amputees - who feel 바카라사이트y are not cared for in 바카라사이트 same way as former soldiers,�� he said. ��Ex-combatants have a fully fledged scheme to help 바카라사이트m rehabilitate, so it��s a social debate on where 바카라사이트 resources should go.��

However, he believed higher education should play a vital role in preventing future conflicts.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com