MONROVIA, Liberia — President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. on Monday, December 15, launched the Excellence in Learning in Liberia (EXCEL) Project, declaring that quality education is no longer optional but fundamental to Liberia’s long-term development, national stability, and competitiveness.
Speaking at Monrovia City Hall, the President described the EXCEL Project as more than a policy initiative, calling it a defining national commitment to ensure that every Liberian child—regardless of background or location—has access to meaningful learning opportunities.
“Today is more than the unveiling of a program,” President Boakai said. “It is a clear statement of who we are as a nation and what we believe about the future of our children.”
From Access to Excellence
Reflecting on Liberia’s long and evolving education narrative, President Boakai traced the system’s past—from being labeled “good” to “bad,” “mess,” “best,” and now “excellent.”
“I think we want to keep it at excellent,” he remarked, drawing applause from the audience.
He emphasized that education sits at the core of Liberia’s national development strategy, warning that failure in classrooms today would translate into broader national failure tomorrow.
“Education is the foundation upon which national development is built,” the President said. “If we fail our children in the classroom, we risk failing the nation tomorrow.”
Four Strategic Pillars of EXCEL
President Boakai outlined four critical target areas that define the EXCEL Project:
- Improving equitable access to primary education through the construction of 100 innovative, climate-resilient schools;
- School capitation grants, focusing on renovation, rehabilitation, and performance-based incentives to reward merit and excellence;
- School-based violence prevention programs to ensure safe learning environments; and
- System strengthening for foundational learning, including timely Annual School Census exercises and National Primary Learning Assessments.
“These are deliberate actions,” he said. “They are designed to turn long-standing challenges into opportunities for reform, innovation, and lasting improvement.”
Nationwide Impact
According to the President, the EXCEL Project will have a far-reaching national footprint. More than 350,000 children are expected to benefit, while over 15,000 teachers will receive enhanced training and professional support.
School leaders across all 15 counties and every political district will be better equipped to manage learning institutions, while schools themselves will become safer, stronger, and more resilient.
“This is how we intentionally build Liberia’s human capital—fairly and sustainably,” President Boakai said.
Aligned With the ARREST Agenda
The President emphasized that EXCEL fits squarely within his government’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, particularly its focus on human capital development.
“This is not just a project, and it is not just financing,” he stressed. “It is an impactful investment in Liberia’s future.”
According to him, the benefits of the initiative will extend beyond classrooms, yielding dividends in higher productivity, reduced inequality, empowered girls, stronger communities, and a more competitive nation.
Call for Shared National Ownership
President Boakai cautioned that government action alone will not guarantee success. He called on educators, parents, community leaders, development partners, and lawmakers to take collective ownership of the initiative.
“This must be a shared national effort,” he said, urging the Liberian Legislature to support the timely ratification of the project’s financing to avoid delays that could jeopardize implementation.
Looking Ahead
In closing, the President challenged Liberians to view education as the engine of national prosperity.
“Let us work together to ensure that the classrooms of today become the engines of prosperity tomorrow,” he said. “Let us make excellence not the exception, but the standard for education in Liberia.”
He concluded with his administration’s familiar call to national unity and patriotism: “Think Liberia, Love Liberia, and build Liberia.”
The launch of the EXCEL Project marks one of the Boakai administration’s most ambitious education reforms to date, signaling a decisive shift from access-focused policies toward measurable learning outcomes and long-term human capital development.
