“Government Committed too Improving Education Sector,” Says V.P. Boakai

Thursday, 4th June 2009

Monrovia, Liberia - Vice President Joseph N. Boakai says challenges confronting post-war Liberia’s education sector are enormous, but he assured that the Unity Party-led Government was committed to putting in place conditions to enable the nation’s youth to acquire the needed education.

He cited the collapse of the educational system which, he noted, has given rise to the mushrooming of universities, overcrowding of schools, drop in educational standards, lack of facilities, adequate schools and trained teachers.

“We are quite aware that the country needs to provide meaningful skills to young people who were forced to drop out of school because of the war, to enable them [to] contribute meaningfully to the reconstruction and development of their country,” Vice President Boakai noted.

He was speaking on June 4 at his Capitol Building office when Mr. Jean Brieussel, head of Consult-Educ, a consultancy and training NGO based in France, accompanied by Second Lady Kartumu Y. Boakai, Governance Commission Commissioner Hawa Goll-Kotchi, the West Africa Regional Logistics Manager of the Danish Refugee Council, Johan Brieussel, and former YMCA Secretary General Peter Karmei paid a courtesy call on him.

The Liberian Vice President  observed that in a bid to grapple with these challenges, the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf led Government would welcome all meaningful learning concepts, noting that “No nation can develop without a solid educational system.” “Children’s minds need to be groomed and molded properly to prepare them for the rebuilding and development process,” he emphasized.

In remarks, Second Lady Kartumu Boakai said Consult-Education has expressed interest in child educational development in Liberia.

Also in remarks, Mr. Peter Kamei said since his arrival in Liberia about two and a half weeks ago, the Consult-Education delegation has met with and held discussions with several stakeholders, including Education Minister Dr. Joseph Kortu, professional staff of the Kakata Rural Teachers Training Institute (KRTTI), and visited several educational institutions, including the Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS), the Child Development Academy in Monrovia, among others.

Briefing the Vice President, the head of Consult-Educ, Jean Brieussel, said during his tour of some educational institutions in Monrovia and other parts of the country, he observed that children were learning under very difficult conditions. He called attention to overcrowding of classes, cautioning that it would be difficult for children to learn under such conditions.

Mr. Brieussel said his institution would help address some of these problems, including helping teachers develop. Mr. Brieussel said he was planning a workshop to have an exchange with teachers to assess their needs. He also pledged to discuss with colleges in the United Kingdom to help train Liberian teachers.