Bishop Wenner School Opens Its Doors to Students and the E-Reader Project

Just months after its official launch, students of the Bishop Wenner School of Theology in Freetown, Sierra Leone became the latest group of African theological students to receive E-readers for their studies. the E-Readers are expected to ease the long-standing burden that African students face due to the lack of books.

Charles M. S. Carew, a student at Bishop Wenner, said the e-readers would serve his fellow students well by saving them the cost of books. “We will now hold our books in our hands and do whatever assignments there are to enhance our learning here at Bishop Wenner School of Theology,” he said. Carew believes that the e-readers will fill in the gap in their academic journey and beyond. He thanked Discipleship Ministries, Higher Education and Ministry, and all the individuals who contributed to the E-Reader Project.



Rev. Alfred Karimu, Dean of the Bishop Wenner School of Theology said the e-readers were the United Methodist Church’s way of making sure that students who are studying theology in Africa are given the best resources for their academic journey, adding, “You need to make good use of these e-readers, because your failure to do so will be a hindrance to those who will be coming after you.” He thanked the United Methodist agencies for the role they played in supporting educational undertakings around the world, especially in Africa. Rev. Karimu stressed that because the e-readers were given to the students free of charge at Bishop Wenner, a result of the generous donors in the Uwharrie District of the Western North Carolina Conference, students should work extra hard on their academic performances in gratitude for this gift.

Named in honor of Bishop Rose Marie Wenner, the School of Theology is a part of the first United Methodist University in Sierra Leone. The university officially opened its doors in January 2018 and is now one of the many theological schools that is benefiting from the E-Reader Project.