By Alvin Lansana Kargbo
Albert Academy is preparing to celebrate its 121st anniversary with a month-long program of activities that organizers say will honor the school’s legacy while introducing reforms designed to modernize its identity. Speaking at a Press Conference on Monday, 29 September 2025, at the Africa Young Voices headquarters in Freetown, the Chairman of the Anniversary Committee, Professor Ezekiel Kelvin Duramany-Lakkoh unveiled three major changes under the theme: “The Change We Want Is Here.”
The first of those reforms is the introduction of a formal Leavers’ Day. For the first time, students completing both Junior and Senior Secondary levels will participate in a graduation ceremony, donning academic gowns and receiving a structured send-off. The event will be complemented by a career day, during which alumni in their professional regalia will return to inspire and mentor current pupils.
The second development involves the rescheduling of the Academy’s Thanksgiving Service to the last Sunday in October. Traditionally held immediately after Founder’s Day, the service had often been disrupted by seasonal rains and the new date is expected to improve attendance and ensure more dignified proceedings.
The third, and most historic change, is the Academy’s official return to a single-shift system. Having operated on a two-shift arrangement since the civil war, the school has now received approval from the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education to revert to its original structure. With about 2,000 students enrolled in the new morning-to-afternoon schedule, authorities and alumni believe the move will improve discipline, restore academic excellence and reinforce the Academy’s reputation for producing national leaders.
Board member John K. Ansumana described the one-shift system as a central goal of the Alumni Association’s five-year strategic plan to restore the Academy’s prestige. He emphasized that the Ministry’s approval followed careful inspection to ensure the school was prepared for the transition, stressing that these reforms go beyond anniversary celebrations to establish systems capable of sustaining the Academy’s long-term growth.
Alumni Association President, Bismarck Coker, echoed that sentiment, describing the theme as a shift from “legacy to innovation.” He said Albert Academy’s record of producing exceptional examination results and shaping leaders across governance, politics and education places it in a strong position to compete regionally and internationally.
Cultural traditions will also take center stage during the celebrations. Music Director Bernard Caulker announced that the school’s renowned brass band, widely considered a benchmark in Sierra Leone, will debut a new ensemble made up entirely of pupils. This pioneering initiative, the first of its kind in the country, will see the student-only group perform independently at school and public functions.
Scout Leader, Ishmail Kamara, revealed that the 7th Freetown Scout Troop will, for the first time, lead Foundation Day celebrations, while also launching the Messenger of Peace initiative under the World Scout Movement. He disclosed that the troop will display a crest featuring the Albert Academy logo, another first for Sierra Leone and will begin marking its own centenary with a film documenting the history of Scouting at the school.
The anniversary program will officially commence on 4 October with the rebranded Foundation Day and Social Evening, followed by a month of events blending academic reforms, cultural showcases and community engagement. Organizers are confident that this year’s milestone will be among the most carefully planned in the Academy’s history, a celebration that not only pays tribute to its proud past but also lays a strong foundation for its future.
