The New Senior Secondary

Curriculum for Sierra Leone

Subject syllabus for Sierra Leonean Literature
Subject stream: Languages and Literature

This subject syllabus is based on the National Curriculum

Framework for Senior Secondary Education. It was prepared
by national curriculum specialists and subject experts.
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Curriculum elements for Sierra Leonean Literature – a core subject
Subject Content Outline by Broad Themes and Specific Topics
Introduction to Literature
• Concepts and definitions of literature
• History of literature
• Personalities in literature
• Figures of speech
• Trends in literature
• Genres in literature
• Relevance of literature
• The future of literature

History of Sierra Leonean Literature

• Definition of Sierra Leonean literature
• Phases in Sierra Leonean literature
• Writers of Sierra Leone
• Works of Sierra Leoneans
• Trends in Sierra Leonean writings
• Genres in Sierra Leonean writings

Influences in Sierra Leonean Literature

• African influence
• British influence
• European influence
• American influence
• Asian influence
• Arab influence
• Caribbean influence

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Trends in Sierra Leonean Literature
• Alienation
• Colonialism
• Exploitation
• Protest
• Dystopias
• Religions
• Love
• Family
• Politics
• Futurism
• Culture clash
• Generational gaps
• Gender
• Technology
• Diaspora

Sierra Leonean Literature and the Global Stage

• Race relations in Sierra Leonean literature
• Slavery in Sierra Leonean literature
• Gender issues in Sierra Leonean literature
• Global conflicts in Sierra Leonean literature
• Pandemics and epidemics in Sierra Leonean literature
• Global cultures in Sierra Leonean literature
• Religions in Sierra Leonean literature
• Technologies in Sierra Leonean literature
• Diaspora
• Cultures
• Emerging issues

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Books, Authors & Publishers Imperfect Future by Kosonike Koso-Thomas (SLWS 2017),
In Search of Sons by J. Sorie Conteh (SLWS 2007),
Prose:
A Suitcase full of Dried Fish and Other Stories by Bakar Mansaray Nana by Yeama Lucilda Hunter (SLWS 2015),
(SLWS 2015), Secret Fear by Mohamed Sheriff (SLWS 2020),
Sakayo by Saa M. Sindondoeh Jumu (SLWS 2021), Contemporary Fireside Stories Edited by Taqi and Thulla (SLWS
A Woman to Emulate by Sophie Allieu (SLWS 2017), 2018),
A Pillar of the Community by Eustace Palmer (SLWS 2012), The Ghosts of Gaingah by Michael Fayia Kallon (SLWS 2015),
Morquee by Karamoh Kabba (SLWS 2015), We are not our Fathers by Joseph Lamin Kamara (SLWS 2016),
Landscape of Memories by Oumar Farouk Sesay (SLWS 2015), Hybrid Eyes by Osman Mallam Sankoh (SLWS 2000)
This Side of Nothingness by Mohamed Gibril Sesay (SLWS 2015), Tiger Fist by Namdi Carew (SLWS (201?),
The Road to Kaibara by Elvis Gbanabom-Hallowell (SLWS 2015), Winter in Harmattan and other Stories by Prince Kenny (SLWS 201?),
The New Disease by Frederick Bobor James (SLWS 2016), Youthful Yearnings by Jedidah Adlyn Olayinka Johnson (SLWS 2015).

Poetry:
Contemporary Fireside Poems Edited by Taqi and Thulla (SLWS Singing in Exile and the Child of War Sheikh Umarr Kamarah (SLWS
2018), 2002),
A Review of Salone Poetry Volume One by Abdulai Walon-Jalloh Ayo, Ayo and Other Love Poems by Moses Kainwo (201?)
(SLWS 2019), Along the Peals of Drums by Ambrose Massaquoi (SLWS 2016),
At the Gathering of Roads by Mohamed Gibril Sesay (SLWS 201?), The Edge of a Cry by Oumar Farouk Sesay (SLWS 2015)
On the Road to Jamaica by Syl Cheney-Coker (2014), The Lonely Traveller by Gbanabom-Hallowell (SLWS 201?).
Along the Odokoko River by Ahmed Koroma (SLWS 201?),

Drama:
Hungry Vultures by Abdulai Walon-Jalloh (SLWS 2019),
The Visa by Mohamed Combo Kamanda (SLWS 2007),
The Case of Four Pillows by Elvis Gbanabom-Hallowell (2019),
Blood & Ballot by Abdulai Walon-Jalloh (SLWS 2019),
Fragile Rights by Frederick Bobor James (SLWS 202?).

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Structure of the Syllabus Over the Three-Year Senior Secondary Cycle

SSS 1 SSS 2 SSS 3

Term 1 Introduction to Literature Trends in Sierra Leonean Literature Trends in Sierra Leonean
• Concepts and definitions of literature • Alienation Literature
• History of literature • Colonialism • Love
• Personalities in literature • Exploitation • Family
• Figures of speech • Protest • Politics
• Trends in literature • Dystopias
• Genres in literature • Religions
• Relevance of literature
• The future of literature
Term 2 History of Sierra Leonean Literature Sierra Leonean Literature and the Global Trends in Sierra Leonean
• Definition of Sierra Leonean literature Stage Literature
• Phases in Sierra Leonean literature • Race relations in Sierra Leonean literature • Futurism
• Writers of Sierra Leone • Slavery in Sierra Leonean literature • Culture clash
• Works of Sierra Leoneans • Gender issues in Sierra Leonean literature • Generational gaps
• Trends in Sierra Leonean writings • Global conflicts in Sierra Leonean
• Genres in Sierra Leonean writings literature
• Pandemics and epidemics in Sierra
Leonean literature
Term 3 Influences in Sierra Leonean Writings Sierra Leonean Literature and the Global Trends in Sierra Leonean
• African influence Stage Literature
• British influence • Global cultures in Sierra Leonean literature • Gender
• European influence • Religions in Sierra Leonean literature • Technology
• American influence • Technologies in Sierra Leonean literature • Diaspora
• Asian influence • Diaspora
• Arab influence • Cultures
• Caribbean influence • Emerging issues

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Building Young Futures
MBSSE’s Senior Secondary School Curriculum

Teaching Syllabus

Topic/Theme/Unit Expected learning Recommended Suggested resources Assessment of learning

outcomes teaching methods outcomes
a. Introduction to At the end of the units, ▪ Face-to-face teaching Some texts are listed below. Pupils will be assessed using
Literature students will be able to: ▪ Online face-to-face See the detailed list given but not limited to the
b. History of Sierra teaching above under Books, following assessment
Leonean Literature a. Define, identify and ▪ Teach techniques on Authors & Publishers methods:
c. Influences in Sierra apply concepts, trends, seminar writing 1. Homework
Leonean Literature genres, personas, ▪ Teach practical Drama 2. Tests
d. Trends in Sierra relevance of literature in criticisms Hungry Vultures, The Visa, 3. Subjective Tests
Leonean Literature their work and The Case of Four Pillows, 4. Cloze Tests
e. Sierra Leonean determine future trends Blood and Ballot and a New 5. Performances
Literature and the using the prescribed Disease. 6. Presentations
Global Stage texts. 7. Interpretations
b. Define Sierra Leonean Prose 8. Own Writing
Literature, articulate its Morquee, Landscape of 9. Field Work
phases, writers their Memories, This Side of 10. Examinations
works, trends and Nothingness, The Road to
genres using the Kaibara, Imperfect Future,
It is proposed that 30% of the
prescribed texts. In Search of Sons,
overall score will be allocated
c. To understand, apply, Contemporary Fireside
to assessment methods 1-9,
analyze, evaluate and Stories, The Ghost of
with 70% allocated to
create when studying Gaingah, Beautiful Colours,
examination results (total of
prescribed texts, the Hybrid Eyes and Youthful
100%).
following influences: Yearnings.
African, British,
European, American, Poetry
Asian, Arab and Contemporary Fireside
Caribbean. Poems, A Review of Salone
Poetry Volume One, At the

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Building Young Futures
MBSSE’s Senior Secondary School Curriculum

d. To identify, apply, Gathering of Roads, On the

analyze, evaluate and Road to Jamaica, Along the
create the following Odokoko River, Singing in
trends as they study Exile and the Child of War,
prescribed texts: Ayo, Ayo and Other Poems,
alienation, colonialism, Along the Peals of Drums,
exploitation, protest, The Edge of a Cry and The
dystopias, religions, Lonely Traveller.
love, family, politics,
futurism, culture clash,
generational gaps,
gender, technology and
diaspora.
e. To identify, apply,
analyze, evaluate and
create the following
when studying
prescribed texts: race
relations, slavery,
gender issues, global
conflicts, pandemics
and epidemics, global
cultures, religion,
technologies, diaspora,
cultures and emerging
issues.