-President Says Technical Education Must Drive Liberia’s Economic Transformation as Booker Washington Institute Celebrates Nearly a Century of Producing Nation Builders
KAKATA, Margibi County – President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to transforming technical and vocational education into a cornerstone of Liberia’s national development strategy, declaring that the country’s future prosperity depends not only on academic qualifications but on producing skilled, innovative and entrepreneurial young people capable of driving economic transformation.
Addressing hundreds of students, alumni, government officials, educators, development partners and international guests during the 97th Founders Day celebration of the Booker Washington Institute (BWI) in Kakata, Margibi County, on Saturday, June 27, President Boakai described the country’s premier technical and vocational institution as one of Liberia’s greatest national assets and praised its nearly century-long contribution to nation-building.
Held under the theme, “Honoring Our Founders, Celebrating Our Legacy Towards the Centenary,” the celebration marked another significant milestone in the history of the institution, which was established in 1929 and is widely regarded as Liberia’s flagship technical and vocational education institution. The event also attracted delegations from Prairie View A&M University and Tuskegee University in the United States, underscoring BWI’s longstanding international partnerships and its preparations for its historic centennial celebration in 2029.
The Founders Day celebration was attended by senior government officials, members of the diplomatic community, legislators, alumni from across Liberia and the diaspora, traditional leaders, students, faculty members and distinguished guests. Among those honored as “Tigers”—an honor reserved for distinguished alumni who have made outstanding contributions to national development—were Mr. Kenneth Yarkpawolo Best, Liberia’s oldest practing journalist at 88 and founder of Liberia’s oldest independent newspaper– Daily Observer and Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, alongside several other accomplished Liberians.
BWI’s Story Is Liberia’s Story
President Boakai said the history of Booker Washington Institute mirrors Liberia’s own journey of perseverance, resilience and national recovery.
For nearly a century, he noted, the institution has survived changing political administrations, economic downturns, civil conflict, public health emergencies and other national challenges while continuing to produce skilled Liberians who have contributed significantly to every sector of the country’s development.
“For 97 years, Booker Washington Institute has served as a center of excellence, producing generations of skilled Liberians who have contributed meaningfully to our national development,” the President declared.
“The story of Booker Washington Institute is, in many respects, the story of Liberia itself. It is the story of perseverance in the face of adversity. It is the story of triumph over challenges. It is the story of a people who understood that while buildings may crumble, the human spirit, when nurtured through education, remains unconquerable.”
The President recalled the devastating impact of Liberia’s civil wars, noting that while the country lost lives, infrastructure and decades of development, Liberians never abandoned their belief in the power of education.
“Our schools were destroyed. Communities were displaced. Families were separated. The hopes of an entire generation were interrupted,” he said.
“Yet even in the darkest chapters of our history, the Liberian people never abandoned their faith in education.”
He praised parents who continued sacrificing to educate their children, teachers who remained committed despite enormous hardships, and students who refused to give up on their dreams.
According to him, institutions like BWI became indispensable pillars in Liberia’s post-war recovery because they produced the skilled workforce needed to rebuild the nation.
“When peace returned, Liberia needed roads to be built, farms to be cultivated, industries to be revived and institutions to be restored,” Boakai said.
“We especially needed skilled Liberians capable of rebuilding Liberia with Liberian hands.”
“It is to that call that Booker Washington Institute answered.”
Technical Education Must Lead National Development
President Boakai emphasized that technical and vocational education must occupy a central place in Liberia’s development agenda if the country is to achieve sustainable economic growth.
He said his administration’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development recognizes that education must be directly linked to employment, entrepreneurship and national productivity.
“Our objective is not merely to educate young people,” the President stressed.
“Our objective is to empower them.”
“We seek an education system that produces competent hands and minds—young Liberians equipped with practical skills, innovation, discipline and integrity to transform our country.”
He argued that Liberia’s greatest wealth is not found beneath the ground but in the talents and potential of its people.
“Our greatest wealth has never been buried beneath our soil alone,” he declared.
“Our greatest wealth walks our streets, tills our farms, studies in our classrooms and dreams of a better tomorrow.”
“That wealth is our people.”
Preparing Young Liberians for the Future Economy
The Liberian leader challenged educators and policymakers to ensure that Liberia’s education system keeps pace with rapidly evolving global technologies and labor market demands.
He commended BWI’s longstanding partnerships with Prairie View A&M University and Tuskegee University, noting that those collaborations have strengthened engineering education, agriculture, industrial arts, teacher preparation and research while exposing Liberian students to international best practices.
More importantly, he said, those partnerships are now expanding into emerging areas such as digital learning, climate-smart agriculture, artificial intelligence and other technologies that will shape the future global economy.
“The real question now,” President Boakai said, “is whether Liberia will prepare its young people to lead in this new world or merely observe it from the sidelines.”
He stressed that the country’s future competitiveness will depend largely on institutions like BWI producing graduates capable of competing in an increasingly technology-driven world.
A Direct Message to Liberia’s Youth
Speaking directly to the students gathered for the celebration, President Boakai reminded them that the future of Booker Washington Institute—and indeed Liberia—rests in their hands.
“You are not simply students enrolled in a respected institution,” he said.
“You are the custodians of this institution’s future.”
He urged them to embrace excellence, discipline, integrity and hard work, emphasizing that technical skills combined with strong character would prepare them to become leaders in their communities and contributors to Liberia’s transformation.
As BWI prepares to celebrate its centennial in just three years, the President challenged the institution’s students, faculty, alumni and stakeholders to ensure that its next century surpasses its first.
“Let us resolve that the next century of Booker Washington Institute will be even greater than the first,” he declared.
He also expressed gratitude to the institution’s Board of Governors, administrators, faculty, staff, alumni and development partners for preserving the legacy of one of Liberia’s most respected educational institutions.
“On behalf of the Government and people of the Republic of Liberia, I congratulate the Board, the administration, the faculty, staff, student body, alumni and all stakeholders of the Booker Washington Institute on this important milestone,” the President said.
“I say to you, bravo.”
Ending his address with a patriotic appeal, President Boakai urged Liberians to place national interest above all else.
“Let us think Liberia. Let us love Liberia. And together, let us build Liberia.”
His remarks were met with sustained applause from students, alumni and invited guests, many of whom viewed the President’s address as a strong reaffirmation of the government’s commitment to strengthening technical and vocational education as a pathway to economic transformation, job creation and sustainable national development.
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