Mary Sika Koroma

19th century West African educator who established Sierra Leone's first girls' school system

Mary Sika Koroma (1827-1891) was a Mende educator from Sierra Leone whose groundbreaking work laid the foundation for modern female education in West Africa. Born into a family of traditional weavers, she learned reading through Methodist missionaries and became the first woman in her region to complete formal education. In 1854 she founded the Freetown Girls' Academy - Sierra Leone's first educational institution for girls - against fierce opposition from both colonial authorities and traditional leaders who believed women shouldn't read.

Her innovative teaching methods included multilingual instruction using Krio, Mende, and English, preparing students for roles in governance and commerce. By 1870, her school network educated over 800 girls annually, producing future leaders like politician Hannah Lewis.

Koroma also pioneered adult literacy programs for women in rural areas, traveling by dugout canoe to establish 15 satellite schools. Her 1868 publication 'Education for Our Daughters' argued that female education was essential for national development - a radical idea at the time. Modern scholars consider her work a precursor to UNICEF's current initiatives in the region. The Mary Sika Koroma Memorial Library in Freetown continues her mission today.