FINANCE AND DEVELOPMENT Planning Minister, Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, disclosed on a local radio over the weekend that the Government of Liberia, headed by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, will shortly begin the construction of over 100 brand-new elementary school infrastructures in some leeward counties to meet the educational needs of Liberian children.
MINISTER NGAFUAN MADE the disclosure over the weekend during an exclusive on a local radio program – Night Time Heat – following the Liberian delegation’s return from the IMF/World Bank Spring Meeting in Washington DC, the United States of America. According to the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, the construction of the over 100 new schools will be undertaken through donors funding.
THE FINANCE AND Development Planning Minister alluded that this donor-financed project’s financing was attracted by the Government of Liberia. He noted the funds to construct these new 100 plus schools may not be captured in the Ministry of Education’s annual budget but the finances are attracted by the Government which is a credit and will be paid back in a 40-year time period. If this will be another loan, then the GOL must rethink on to overburden the Liberian government will face in the future.
ACCORDING TO BOOKMAKERS, one of the main challenges in providing access to education in Liberia is the lack of infrastructure. Many schools lack adequate facilities and resources, such as textbooks, desks, and classrooms. In addition, many schools are located in rural areas, which makes it difficult for students to attend school regularly.
ANOTHER CHALLENGE IS poverty. Many families cannot afford to pay for their children’s education or related expenses, such as uniforms and school supplies. As a result, children are forced to drop out of school or never attend in the first place.
WHILE, WE AT The Liberian Post acknowledge these challenges that have hampered the smooth educational system in Liberia, we think the construction of over 100 new elementary school infrastructures is a good venture on the part of the Government of Liberia, taking into consideration broader benefits for future generations. But, to do so now when most of the existing facilities throughout the country lack the adequate financial support, educational materials, supplies, quality teachers, among others, we think the Government must have a rethink.
THERE ARE EXISTING schools in leeward counties that need adequate refurbishing, renovation or/and if not, reconstruction to meet the educational needs of Liberian young students. There are reports of lack of chairs with students having to sit on the bare grounds to learn, and there also reports of some elementary schools in the leeward having as low as a single teacher to impact knowledge to children, lack of instructional materials, including chalks, books, laboratories, and you name them.
WITHOUT ADDRESSING THESE herculean challenges facing the current existing schools, we think is not prudent for the Government of Liberia to invest in constructing newer 100 schools in the leeward counties. We urge the Government of Liberia to improve on existing facilities and give out better incentives to those in the classrooms before constructing new facilities.
WHILE WE CONCUR, that Liberia has one of the lowest literacy rates in Africa, with only 48.3% of the population aged 15 years and older being literate, constructing new schools at this time is not the only solution to resolve this menace. The Government must address the challenges and impediments that have crippled our educational system holistically, if the country is to move in the right direction and be on par with other countries of the world as far as education is concerned.
WE CALL ON the Government of Liberia to increase the educational budget of the Ministry of Education, with bulk of the allotments being directed to teachers’ salaries, incentives and benefits, textbooks, desks, chairs, and to incentivize teachers to work in rural areas to ensure that students in remote areas have access to education. Also, this could involve training and recruiting new teachers and providing support to existing teachers, as well as developing a new curriculum that meets the needs of a changing society.
ACCESS TO EDUCATION is a fundamental human right, yet many Liberians lack access to quality education. The Government of Liberia must focus on creating the condition for quality education for Liberian students and not just focus on constructing new schools, because those new buildings will be of no use when there are no qualified teachers who are given better salaries, incentives and benefits, as well provided better logistics to impact knowledge into Liberian students. This is our call, we plead.
