Monrovia – Associate Justice Jamesetta Howard Wolokolie has lifted the stay order placed on an action of damages involving Levi C. Williams High School and parents of eight students of the institute who were expelled for allegedly smoking prohibited substances on campus. 

Victoria Wesseh, Staff Writer

“By directive of Her Associate Justice presiding in Chambers, you are hereby mandated to resume jurisdiction and proceed in keeping with laws, as the Justice has declined to issue the writ prayed for by the petitioner. Meanwhile, the stay order of May 24, 2022 is lifted,” the Justice mandate stated.

The Associate Justice had earlier on May 24, 2022 mandated Civil Law Court Judge J. Kennedy Peabody to placed a stay order on the case and cited the parties to conference on June 1, 2022.

Prior to Justice Wolokolie’s decision, the Sixth Judicial Circuit, Civil Law Court Judge J. Kennedy Peabody on May 19, 2022 ordered the Principal of Levi C. Williams in person of Mr. Yhoji P. Kai to reinstate the eight eight students with immediate effect.

Judge Peabody also ordered the defendant to file answer or respond to the complaint on or before May 29, 2022.

He warned that failure of the defendant to appear or answer to the lawsuit; judgement by default would be rendered against the school.

Levi  C. Williams on May 24, 2022 asked the Justice Wolokolie for the issuance of a Writ of Prohibition against Judge Peabody’s action to reinstate the expelled students to the school.

The Levi C. Williams, as a Liberian domestic not-for profit organization authorized to operate a school in its petition, told the High Court’s Justice that the case at the Civil Law Court arose from the expulsion of the students from its high school session for smoking prohibited substances on the campus, especially during school hours.

The school informed Justice Wolokolie that the decision to expel the students was based on an internal investigation conducted by the school consistent with the fundamental due process requirements and admissions made by the students during said investigation.

The school said on the May 19, 2022, based on a complaint filed by the students’ parents against Levi C. William for the expulsion of their children, a writ of summons and a Court Order were served on the school simultaneously.

The Court Order issued on the same date of the filing of the complaint, requesting the clerk of court to issue the Judge’s provisional order directing the sheriff to order the defendant (school) to with immediate effect reinstate all the students who were expelled.

The school, through its lawyer, said that under the law, a party seeking an order of court to undo an act, is required to move the court to order the issuance of an injunctive relief.

The order of Judge Peabody which is in effect an injunctive did not follow the law for the granting of an injunctive relief.

The defendant (school) said the actions and procedures which have been adopted by Judge Peabody in ordering petitioner to reinstate the expelled students was unlawful and illegal as the school was not granted any opportunity to be heard as provided by the organic law of the land, the Constitution.

The school lamented that the complaint was filed and served on the same day, and was never heard before the issuance of the Court Order on the same time day of the service of the Court’s Order. 

Those who dragged the school to court for allegedly expulsion of their children are Messrs. Darlington Duoe, Gregory Walker, Daniel Ochiche, Romeo Morris, Synnove Nagbe, Abraham Barry and Diamond Carter, all aggrieved parents of the expelled students.

MONROVIA – The Africa International Institute of Science and Technology (AIIST) and International Development Law Organization (IDLO), over the weekend, graduated 27 Law enforcement officers from the Liberia National Police, Liberia Immigration Service and the Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency following a six-month training in computer operation program.

AIIST is an IT institute situated in Monrovia that offers an innovative way to learn and grow in technology from a beginner level to a certified expert in information and technology.

 Ousman Touray, Director of IT programs at AIIST said on November 22, 2021 an MOU between AIIST and IDLO with support from the US Department of State and Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs of Liberia through the professional development fund, signed an agreement to train 42 law enforcement officers with women with given top priority.

Out of the 42, he said 27 were able to enroll to earn a certificate in computer operation program.

 The 27 officers ranging from the Liberia National Police, Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Liberia Immigration Service over the weekend in Monrovia earned a professional certificate in computer operation program in an effort to increase professional development and public output through the usage of technology.

According to IDLO Field Program Coordinator Franklin Dolo, two years ago IDLO grew interest in working with Law enforcement officers from the LNP, BIM and LDEA with aimed to collaborate with Law enforcement agencies to ensure that female officers are highly prioritized to receive capacity development support to strengthen their knowledge and sets their path straight for career advancement with funding from our partner IML.

The Deputy Minister for Administration and Public Safety of the Ministry of Justice, Mr. Juah N. Cassell, addressed the graduates as commencement convocation speaker on the topic: “The value of empowering women in law enforcement”.

 She expressed joy and used the occasion to encourage members of the graduating class to be committed to always build their capacity in the job environment amid the many challenges that come with life – considering it as normal.

She said over the last ten years, Liberian women are far progressing in all spectrum of the society, ranging from being business minded, professional life and capacity building which is laudable for the progress and development of Liberia.

“When women and Girls’ basic humanitarian needs are met, and reinforcing their capacity to act as leaders in relief and recovery, this can only be possible when women in the security sector of our beloved country stop viewing themselves as mere officers and start being a proactive team player to their male counterpart to play leadership role as well in the security sector,” she said.

Monrovia – The leadership of the Prof. Amos C. Sawyer College of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Liberia, has launched faculty lounge project at Fendall Campus for use by faculty members  at the college. The Faculty lounge is named in honor of alumna Mrs. Thelma Duncan Sawyer, widow of Prof. Amos C. Sawyer.

It has been wildly stated and confirmed that the both—Dr. Sawyer and Mrs. Sawyer met at Liberia College in the 70s and kept their God’s blessed union until the recent unfortunate demise of the former President and Professor of Political Science. Mrs. Sawyer, Deputy Minister for Administration, Ministry of Foreign Affairs earned a BA degree in Sociology in 1977 from the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, once Liberia College and MA degree in International Relations and Social Works from abroad.

     Speaking at a dual program marking the formal launch of the Thelma Duncan Sawyer Faculty Lounge and the joint Technical Working Session for the establishment of Creative and Performing arts at the Amos C. Sawyer College of Social Sciences and Humanities on Tuesday, August 9, 2022 at the UL Fendall Campus in Louisiana, the Dean of the college, Dr. Josephus M. Gray said he was deeply honored and elated to join distinguished professors, instructors and staff of Prof. Amos C. Sawyer College to bestow honor on a distinguished and illustrious Liberian mother of acclaimed backgrounds and notable achievements.

    He indicated that the faculty lounge project is part of a larger vision for Sawyer College, adding that faculty and students are integral part of the research and teaching at the college. According to him, Mrs. Sawyer and her husband Dr. Sawyer-a statesman, distinguished professor, political scientist and administrator have strongly contributed to quality learning and teaching at the college, and helped to mold and shape the minds of Liberian youths and attached important to good governance.

     According to Prof. Gray, the honor is a reminder that everyone will be remembered somehow in a positive way, and hope it reminds all faculty members of the significance of the faculty lounge to the college, while also it will enhance the academic activities of the hardworking faculty.

Dr. Gray on behalf of the leadership of the college expressed gratitude to the administration of the institution particularly the President of the University, Prof. Dr. Julius Julukon Sarwolo Nelson, Jr. and the Vice President for Academic Affairs, Prof. Dr. Moses M Zinnah for embracing the idea of establishing the faculty lounge in the college and naming the facility in honor of Mrs. Thelma Sawyer.  

“We are confident that under the dynamic leadership of Dr. Nelson, the University of Liberia will continue to inspire social scientists and scholars for many generations”, Dr. Gray noted. He said the college was also elated to have the support of the President Pro-tempore of the Liberian Senate, Honorable Albert Tugbe Chie for his financial commitment to support the faculty lunge project. The faculty lounge project was launched by the President of the University of Liberia, Dr. Nelson, thus attracting huge applauses from the audiences.

Meanwhile, the ceremony concurred with coincided with the joint Technical Working Session organized by the Prof. Amos C. Sawyer College of Social Sciences and Humanities for establishment of the certificate and diploma program in performing arts and crafts.

The ceremony brought together several personalities and academics including the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, Prof. Stephen M. Jubwe; Vice President for Administration, Mrs. Benetta J. Tarr;  Prof. Dr. D. Elliott Wreh-Wilson, president emeritus, William V.S. Tubman University  and Professor at Amos C. Sawyer College; Assistant Prof. Adolphus Nippae, Dean of David Straz Sinje Technical College; Ambassador John A. Ballout, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Liberia Movie Union; Mrs. Esther K. Richards of the Sawyer family, Cllr. Mark Bedor-Wla Freeman, Commissioner, Freedom of Information Commission; Ambassador Julie Endee, Cultural Ambassador; Chairs and Coordinators of Academic Departments and Units, of Sawyer College, senior faculty members and students.

Others were heads of the Collective Society of Liberia including the Liberia Movie Union, Musician Union of Liberia, Liberia Culture Union, Liberia Association of Writers, Photography Union of Liberia, Liberia Chef Association, Liberia Artists Union and Liberia Tailor Union.

Prof Amos C. Sawyer College of Social Sciences and Humanities is an interesting academic environment. It’s a small, supportive community hosted in a single roof of the Academic Complex of the University of Liberia.  It is just a place where anyone soon know every face and it’s the best place with a beautiful land scape, with access to every possible amenity; but it sits at the heart of the university’s Fendall campus in Louisiana, Monyserrado County, few miles away from the capital.

The college has been successful in integrating research in all the degree granting departments, as a major requirement for completion. At Prof Amos C. Sawyer College, faculties pursue a full range of research interests related to their own academic disciplines. The college has harmonized the various academic departments’ curricula and introduced standardized research methodology course across the college. Students who successfully passed the research course are advanced for senior thesis writing or undertake a senior project as a special requirement to fulfill a-year Baccalaureate Degree Requirements to earn a Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree.

The graduates of the college are making tremendous contributions to societies across the international sphere with obvious outputs in numerous areas including national development.  Some have risen to serve as president, vice president, Justices of the Supreme Court, of minister, senator, Representative, Ambassador, president of tertiary institutions, heads of public corporations, standard-bearers of political parties, academic directors, deans and media expertise.

Prof Amos C. Sawyer College (formerly) has a proud history of providing courses that help communities to grow and flourish, this focus on combining practical knowledge with quality learning and teaching. Interestingly, it was the first to be established in the country with a well-defined and founding mission. The College remains driven by its commitment to societies and is dedicated to providing quality programs and degrees in a flexible and supportive environment.

The College also strives to be among the most innovative academic institutions in the world. Its remains committed to empowering its students with requisite knowledge and practical skills vital to achieving personal and professional success in the changing local and global communities in which they live, work and compete in the job market.

The College offers   Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree and Bachelor of Social Work Degree (BSW) in several disciplines. The minimum credit hours needed for completion of a specialized degree program is 128. Students are voluntarily allowed to choose from the six academic departments to fulfill a 4-year Baccalaureate Degree Requirements to earn a BA and BSW degrees. Students can take up to 15 credits for each of the eight academic semesters at the college.

The college was successful to harmonize the various academic departments’ curricula and successfully remodeled research methodology courses across the college to help sharpen the students’ skills and widen their horizons in research.

Those who are successfully passed the research methodology studies are advanced for senior thesis writing or research project. Our graduates earn BA and BSW degrees in English, French, Demography, Geography, Sociology, social work, History, Political Science, Communication, Media Studies, Philosophy and Religious Studies and Criminology.

The College maintains academic excellence, quality teaching, broad based research and emphasizes professionalism, efficiency and productivity.  Currently, there are six (6) academic departments in the College. The idea to merge the departments from 15 to six was based on the official request of the college through a petition to the Academic Coordination Committee (ACC) and Faculty Senate of the University of Liberia.

Eleven academic units of the six departments confer a four-year Baccalaureate Degree in specialized fields of study. They are: English and Literature, French Studies, Social Work, Demography, Geography, Sociology, Criminology, History, Political Science, Communication and Media Studies, Philosophy and Religious Studies. The non-degree granting units are: Physical Education and Sports, Social Science, Arts and Crafts, ROTC and Liberian Languages. The various departments and units have been merged to six to reflect the current dynamics across the world as higher education institutions (HEIs) recognize the fact that the world is changing very rapidly and increasingly. While the Criminology Program is the latest to be introduced as a degree granting program.

At the college, three certificate and diploma program are in place for capacity building and career development for others whom for particular reason mighty not want to pursue degree studies. The three programs are: (1) Joe W. Mulbah Center of Journalism and Public Relations (2) UL Center for Geographic Information System and Remote Sensing (3) Certificate in Statistics Program (CEST)

Prof Amos C. Sawyer College is highly respected for our well-skilled, renowned, professional and trained faculty. The quality of faculty at the institution is the primary reason students choose to study here. We attract scholars at the cutting edge of their various fields including include publishers, authors, critical thinkers, educators, and scholars with a reservoir of knowledge in their chosen disciplines of social sciences and humanities. Our faculty come with a commitment to work together, learn together, care for one another and mentor students.

Monrovia– A Lecturer at the University of Liberia, Mr. Zayzay Sillah says, he’s rallying support for the Ministry of Education to authorize the inclusion of agricultural science in the high school’s curriculum.

Mr. Sillah says, if the program is endorsed, Liberia would emulate some of its sub-regional neighbours who have been implementing the program in high schools.

Said, Mr. Sillah, “I have conducted a research in the West African sub-region and I come to realize that Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone and Gambia, all of these countries, they do agriculture science as subject in high schools and they administered it as syllabus in West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE), but Liberia only focus on the full nine subjects which the students write in WASSCE.

According to him, if Liberia would genuinely improve in food production, eliminate poverty, end hunger, there is a need for educational stakeholders to start from the rudimentary process of it, thereby teaching agricultural science to students in high school in order to create interest for the subject before graduation.

Liberia, despite being blessed with abundant fertile land and rainfall that are crucial to productivity in the agriculture sector to spur economic growth and job creation, is below par in agricultural activities. The country hugely dependent on other countries for its stable food.

Mr. Sillah explained that he has met with some educational stakeholders within the sector, who bought the idea for agricultural science to be taught in high school, and subsequently be administered by the West African Examination Council (WACE).

He further explained that he has plan to meet both the House and Senate committees on education to explain to them the importance of the program and how it could be a catalyst to achieving Goal 1 and 2 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which talked about ending hunger and reduce poverty.

“This in my mind will help improve food production, help to alleviate poverty, help end hunger. That will also serve as means of financial strength of some of these students because I am of the conviction that these students that will learn agricultural science in high school after high school most of them will either invest in agriculture. Besides that, we should also help to make agriculture lucrative in Liberia,” he explained.

Adding, “In Liberia, my drive and intention is toward agriculture and not only taking it from the textual aspect but to take it from the rudimentary aspect by making our students know the significance of agriculture.”

He promised to offer two and a half acres of his private land to the first schools that will introduce agriculture-science to be used for practical.

“WASSCE is mainly focused on the practical and theoretical aspects, so I am going lobby some of my colleagues to make allocation. If we want the student to do practical, you need equipment. So I am going to talk to some of my friends that Liberian students need equipment to improve the agriculture sector of our country.  So we are definitely selling the idea for people to buy, he said.

The Africa International Institute of Science and Technology (AIIST) has graduated 178 young people in computer science with twelfth of the graduates coming from the Liberia Land Authority (LLA) through a World Bank sponsorship.

AIIST offers an innovative way to learn and grow from a beginner level to a certified expert in Information Technology within 18^th months’ time.

The graduation ceremony which was held recently in Monrovia saw scores of government officials, particularly from the LLA, acquiring skills in office productivity and management systems so as to increase professional and standard public output through the usage of technology.

The eighth commencement convocation speaker was Mr. Floyd Oxley Sayor, a commissioner at the National Elections Commission (NEC).

In his address at the occasion, Sayor chided all unprofessional and unproductive attitudes exhibited by many professionals in Liberian society and cautioned the graduates to not emulate such ugly work attitudes.

“As an IT person, you must have patience, most especially when you are called to help develop a software for a client. In order to have a project implemented, you must have an undivided goal with an unwavering attention strictly focused on what you are called to do,” he said, noting that IT Specialists are not ordinary people but scientists.

Sayor, an IT expert and a former head of the IT department at NEC registered to the graduates and the rest of the audience under his voice that patience is key in the practice of Information Technology (IT) and that anyone who underestimates patience in the business of IT fails often times and loses sight on success.

“This career path you have chosen is not an easy one. It requires you to spend a lot of your time almost everyday on exploring and continuously learning new ideas to make your worth demanding and marketable,” Commissioner Sayor said, adding that “as an IT personnel, it is always be clean and neat because presidents, directors or managers will always leave their seats for you to check out and fix a problems affecting computers.”

“Therefore, if you are removing somebody from his or her seat you must smell good,” he emphasized.

Sayor urged the graduates to take advantage of opportunities and market themselves in order to be considered for good contracts or possible employment.

He thanked AIIST for contributing to a better society by training people in the application of technology.

The President of AIIST, Madam Zainab O. Assaf said her institution provides computer education for people who need jobs and, or will want to improve themselves for career opportunities.

Assaf said AIIST, which is one of the fastest growing institutions in the Republic, is hoping and aspiring to fulfill the vision and mission of its proprietor by building human resource capacities of Liberians.

She named information management system, computer awareness, office productivities, operating system and QuickBooks as some of the basic programs her institution offers.

 “Currently, the AIIST is providing training for several government entities including the Liberia Land Authority, Immigration, Fire Service, Liberia National Police as well as individuals who are so desiring of improving themselves in IT,” AIIST’s president noted.

She thanked the World Bank for believing in AIIST, particularly for training the LLA staff to boost service delivery.

Assaf continued by calling on the World Bank office in Liberia to keep looking the way of AIIST for the provision of better training opportunities for the Liberian workforce.

She concluded “We want that relationship to continue and anytime they have staff members to train we will always be available for them.”

One of the beneficiaries from the Liberia Land Authority (LLA), Ms. Weyata S. Gibson thanked the World Bank through the AIIST for the training.

Gibson, who works in the Planning and Policy Department at LLA, said thought it was not her first-time doing computers, however, the training by AIIST to them will never be forgotten because what I learned in Ghana is quite different from what AIIST taught us in Liberia.

She said, “We learned eleven courses at AIIST. We did computer awareness, Windows, Words, Excel, MS Power Point, Window Outlook, Internet and Maintenance, etc.”

Gibson used the occasion to extend gratitude to the World Bank Group family in Liberia for the great opportunity and promise to use it for the intended purpose.

This two-part series by Eric Opa Doue with New Narratives examines the county’s school system.

MONWEH, River Cess- Jacob Beegar sits on a rattan chair under a palaver hut while his friends run around. Jacob doesn’t join them. The 15-year-old doesn’t want to play. He would rather be in school.

Jacob should be in the 4th grade at the nearby Giemengbleh Public School in Kporkon Monweh District. But the school has been closed since 2020.

Instead, Jacob accompanies his uncle John Beegar every morning to help with farm work. Jacob is the last of four children. Uncle John took him in when his parents could not afford to keep him in school. Jacob fears his own future will be not better than his parents’.

“My ma and pa poor, that why I want to go to school to help them,” says Jacob. “But the way I not going to school again, that mean I will be poor like them.”

The school shut in 2020 when the last teacher finally left. Even before the school closed it was doing a poor job of teaching kids in this village.

“The school had just one teacher teaching more than one hundred and forty some more children,” according to Jacob’s uncle John. “But the man was not getting pay from the government so he closed the school and left.”

The school building – made of sticks with mud walls – has begun to collapse. It sits now, a roofless ruin, on the edge of the village – a symbol of the crumbling dreams of children and parents here.

The closest school is in Boegeezay, an hour away by motorbike. Jacob’s uncle does not have the $LD1000 it costs each day to send his nephew there. Neither do other families here. Jetta Wee, 10, and Blessing Duo, 11, are among other kids sitting under the palaver hut instead of going to school. Other children moved to stay with relatives in Boegeezay or the city of Buchanan.   

Many schools in River Cess are closing because of teacher shortages. Parents and teachers blame poor management by the Ministry for Education. Potential teachers find it impossible to get on the payroll. When teachers leave they continue to get salaries. And the ministry does not replace teachers when they leave.  

Records from the office of the County Education Officer show that there are 115 public schools in five education districts in River Cess county. 400 government teachers are assigned in the county. But teachers and parents say the true number of teachers in classrooms is likely far less.

FrontPage Africa and New Narratives first did an investigation of River Cess schools a decade ago finding as many as 45 students crammed into classrooms with no roof and chairs. Funding was a major problem then, with just $US40m allocated to the entire country’s education system including universities. Ten years on, the budget for education has more than doubled to $US87m but still many students are missing out.

Experts say the problem is playing out across rural areas of the country with dire consequences for Liberia’s future. Educating children is vital to Liberia’s development but a 2018 Unicef report found that 16% of primary aged children were out of school, one of the highest rates in the world. “An inclusive education for all” is number 4 of the UN’s 16 Sustainable Development Goals.

Teacher shortages plague River Cess. A story by this reporter on ELBC Super Morning Show in December found that 50 teachers had left River Cess classrooms and were still being paid. Shortly after that story broke, Peter Knowlden, River Cess County Education Officer, wrote to the Director of Human Resources at the Ministry of Education to put “a hold” on the salaries of 50 teachers he claimed had abandoned the classroom but were still receiving salaries.

Knowlden, in an interview, said he convened a meeting in Cestos in October 2021 where some of these teachers were in attendance. According to him, he told them to “come home to return to the classrooms or be deleted from the payroll.”

“Some of those guys had been out of the classroom for more than 10 years,” Knowlden said. “If they do not come back, we will not delete them but the law will delete them.” 

But in fact, documents obtained by FPA/New Narratives show that the majority of the teachers left their roles with the approval of the heads of the school districts.

Teachers say they were given permission to leave

Eight of the teachers being accused of abandoning their duties were interviewed by FPA/New Narratives but almost every one of them claimed that they were granted permission to leave.

In an interview, Peter Wilson, then District Education Officer, confirmed he had granted the leave but alleged that the teachers reneged on their agreements.

“They went to study to come back but they have overstayed and that was not the agreement,” Wilson says. “They schools are empty and they are in Buchanan doing nothing. That’s we took the decision to let the ministry know.”

But that is not the case according to letters seen by FPA/New Narratives. Teacher John Toby, for instance, was granted permission to take leave in December 2020 and resigned a year later. Wilson received the resignation 21 days before the CEO filed the complaint to the Ministry of Education. Toby now works in the office of Wellington Geevon Smith, a senator of River Cess.

Several schools are shut down here due to lack of teachers while others are being run by a single teacher. One such is school is Gbouzohn Public school in Kploh which was closed from 2019 to 2021. Jerome Toe, the only teacher assigned here was deleted from the payroll in 2018. After failing to get his name back on the government’s payroll, he closed the school and left the town.

Parents persuaded him to reopen the school in November 2021. Although many of the students have dropped out or moved to gold mines for work, Toe says the current enrollment is about 150.

“My name was deleted from the Government of Liberia Payroll since 2018, when the IAA [Internal Audit Agency] came and I was not present during the time of the audit due to my illness,” Toe says. “When I was away the community usually cry because for the past two years children were not learning things were really down. So I decided to come and the reception is still poor. Even if I charge them $LD500 for students to register it is still coming slow, that making I alone to be in the classroom.”

When there are teachers, they are often absent. Vondeh Public School has 163 students, but when FPA/New Narratives visited in June, the school had been shut because its two teachers left for a training workshop in Cestos.

“The teachers told us that they were going for their salaries on the road to come back,“ Garpue said Edwin Garpue, Chairperson of the Parents Teachers Association (PTA). “But I’m surprised to hear that they are attending training in Cestos. So like that, there will be no school here for the next two weeks or so.”

Other schools that are shut down in River Cess as a result of teacher shortage, coupled with other challenges are in Gorzohn, Dorbor, Sawpue and Gbardiah.

Following media reports and a public outcry the Minister of Education, Ansu Sonii, announced an investigation in the county. The result of the probe saw all DEOs and the Human Resource Officer in the offices of the CEO – Peter Wilson, Isaac Innis, David Jarwoe and Cheyee Kpanwon – suspended for one month without pay.

Their suspension letters dated May 2, 2022 were under the signature of James Armah Massaquoi, Acting Deputy Minister for Administration at the Ministry of Education.

According to County Education Officer Knowlden, the suspensions were triggered by the discovery of 50 teachers who reportedly abandoned the classrooms but were still receiving salaries. 27 teachers were retired in June 2021 by the Ministry and not replaced.

Upon hearing that the DEOs were suspended, many residents and civil society actors in River Cess hailed the Minister. But Simon Outland, the head of the River Cess’ Branch of the Civil Society Council of Liberia, is one of many critics who say in order to really improve the River Cess School System the Ministry should go further.

“One month is not sufficient,” says Outland. “It should be one year or six months without pay.”

George Trokon, a retired teacher and former president of the River Cess’ CSOs says, because the government has not been punishing corrupt education officers, they continue to spoil the county’s school system. 

 “One month suspension is not sufficient. The schools have no teachers as we speak,” says Trokon.“The ministry should always be prepared to replace people and they are not doing it. You come you see so, so, C certificate holders teaching all the subjects.”

The CEO insists the investigation will continue.

“Those findings, media reports and every other concern being raised by our people are being looked into,” says Knowlden. “No matter where you are, if you are found liable for anything, you will be punished. But we have to work in line with the policy.”

This story was a collaboration with New Narratives as part of its ‘Investigating Liberia” series. Funding was provided by the Swedish Embassy in Liberia. The funder had no say in the story’s content.

MONROVIA- Montserrado District 13 Aspirant Andy Bropleh Jallah has provided Molley Kpehe, Mohammed Vannie Kanneh, Alice Morgan and Ramsay Tamba Sumanie Jr. a fully funded trip to attend the 2022 International Youth Diplomacy Conference (IYDC) held in Accra, Ghana among 54 countries.

The International Youth Diplomacy Conference is a replication of the United Nations General Assembly, Security Council, and other agencies under the United Nations that brings together youth across Africa and beyond to discuss pertinent issues of global interest.

The four Liberians: Molley Kpehe, Mohammed Vannie Kanneh, Alice Morgan and Ramsay Tamba Sumanie Jr. left Liberia on Saturday , July 16^th  through the Roberts International Airport and are currently in Ghana attending the this year’s edition of the IYCD.

In an interview with FrontPage Africa, Mr. Jallah, who is also the CEO of the Andy Bropleh Jallah Foundation, said in 2019 he attended the fifth edition of the IYDC in Ghana and learned a whole lot from the program and decided this year to provide four Liberians the opportunity to attend the program as well for learning and networking purpose with international friends.

“During my participation in 2019, I promised to help other Liberians to attend international fellowships like the IYDC and other programs. And In December 2021, the secretary General of the IYDC had a conversation with me and I affirmed my commitment to have e four youth fully sponsored for the 2022 conference.  Each delegate fees is $300 and ticket via Kenya Airway is values at $490,” he said.

He further reaffirmed his commitment to his quest to see several young Liberians growing to international standard as he remains open to always assist in whatever way possible and to make impact in the wellbeing of several Liberians.

Monrovia – The St. Michael Catholic High School in Garnesville has been crowned champions of the 2021/2022 first edition of the Andy Bropleh Jallah Inter-High Schools quizzing tournament of district 13.

 The school won the Lombardia International School System in the final of the tournament following with a 65 to 20 points margin 45.

The tournament which was organized by the Andy Bropleh Jallah Foundation with theme: “Inspiring the future with competence, Quality and Service,” brought together 16 high schools of Montserrado County District 13 through a competitive process ushering in the Dove Kingdom of St. Michael versus the Lombardia International School system in the grand finale of the competition.

The chairman of the Andy Bropleh Jallah for Representative (Team Andy), Henry Garjay Brumskine said the tournament is part of effort aimed to promote academic excellence in District 13.

Mr. Brumskine the Chairman of Team Andy used the occasion to extend greetings on behalf of the CEO of the Andy Bropleh Jallah foundation, Mr. Andy Bropleh Jallah who is now residing in the USA. He thereby extended recognition to the Bishop Little School system and moderators for their service to ensure the success of the tournament.

He said the essence of the tournament is on the basis of their movement aimed to rejuvenate the spirit of quizzing and promote academic excellence in District 13.

According to him, the foundation is set to organize a dinner to recognize students who performed exceptionally in the quizzing tournament and also be honoring students in the District who have performed excellently in their lessons during the course of the academy year.

“Still keeping in with academic excellence as a team, we have decided to think outside the box by introducing and honoring top three or four students with high marks from within schools in the district to be honored and provided a full scholarship to attend any primary, secondary or tertiary schools of their choice,” he said.

Monrovia – The Ministry of Education has graduated 350 ECE primary, teachers and principals from across 11 counties to commence a series of graduation programs in three regions (Northwestern, Central and Southeastern Liberia).

Mr. Zarwolo, a long-time educator, also used his personal experience to drive graduates’ unceasing interest in education. He said teachers are unique, and their contributions to nation building can never be overemphasized, while admonishing them to be driven by passion.

“We live in a resource-constrained country. So complaining will not solve the problems. Therefore, you will have to be innovative in finding close substitutes to solve competing problems,” he said.

He admonished the graduates to apply the knowledge and skills acquired from the training well. These will include strong community engagements and collaboration with education stakeholders.

“Effective Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) is one way to ensuring strong support to our school system. Government cannot do all by itself; explore opportunities at the community level,” he added.

Also speaking, the Project Coordinator of the Getting to Best in Education Project, Joe K. Gbasakollie said Liberia’s perennial problem of unqualified teachers is fast becoming a history.  According to the Project Coordinator, it is an open secret that Liberia’s education sector faces numerous challenges including inadequately trained and inequitable distribution of teachers.

Mr. Gbassakollie added that the 2017 MoE Teacher Verification and Testing report indicates that 40 percent of primary school teachers do not possess the minimum required knowledge of English needed to be an effective teacher at the primary level. He maintained that the distribution of qualified teachers in Liberia is also inequitable, with regions having economic advantage also getting more, and higher qualified teachers.

“The GPE-funded Getting to Best in Education Project (G2B) was launched in 2018 to address the problem of teachers especially in the six disadvantaged counties – Bomi, Rivercess, Sinoe, Grand Kru, Maryland, and River Gee.

As a target, the Ministry of Education needed to ensure that 60% of ECE and primary teachers are qualified in the project’s original intervention counties over four years from a baseline of 45.77%.  The MoE has already overachieved this target as at end of year 3 (June 30, 2021) of the project.

According to an independent verification report, the proportion of qualified ECE and primary teachers in the six targeted counties has reached 69%. Qualification as defined by the Government is a teacher possessing a minimum of C-certificate for the ECE or primary grade level he or she teaches. The in-service programs are offered over the course of the academic year and include semester breaks for a duration of approximately one calendar year.

The In-service C-Certificate training programs for school principals, primary and ECE teachers are modelled on the Ministry’s existing C-Certificate teacher training program but is designed to be completed without requiring principals and teachers to miss school days.

Each training program involves a total of 900 clock hours, 300 in person with Master Trainers and 600 school leaders or teachers’ practice hours. The principal training covered eight modules including the following topics: Enabling Environment, Leading and Managing Schools, Teaching and Learning Materials, Instruction and On-Site Supervision, Partnership and Collaboration, Ethical Leadership, Effective School Leaders, and Self-study and reflection. For the Primary and ECE programs, the training covered foundations, child development, ECD STEPS 1-8, ECD and primary pedagogy and contents, and teaching practices

Overall, the MoE has trained 736 ECE and primary teachers (36% female) across nine counties including the first original six counties, and 876 principals (19% female) across eleven (11) counties under the G2B project.

The first cohort of training adapted a capacity-building approach where external service providers work with the three Government’s Rural Teacher Training Institutes (RTTIs) to deliver on the training. The three institutions are the Kakata Rural Teacher Training Institute (KRTTI), the Zorzor Rural Teacher Training Institute (ZRTTI), and the Webbo Rural Teacher Training Institute (ZRTTI). The second cohort was solely managed by the RTTIs.

In a brief remark, the Assistant Minister for Teacher Education Gayflor Wshington said, despite the constrained fiscal environment and challenges associated with these training programs, the RTTIs were able to successfully conduct the second cohort of training.

Assistant Minister Washington hailed partners for the sustained support to education over the years.

Additionally, the Assistant Minister announced that the Government of Liberia has committed US$2.8 million to the MOE to regularize the salaries of over 4,000 underpaid volunteer teachers. According to him, US$1 million of this amount has been disbursed. To date, the GoL has employed over 600 volunteer teachers.

Speaking on behalf of the directors of the RTTIs, KRTTI Director Mr. George Kpenneh lauded the effort of the Government of Liberia, and in particular the Ministry of Education for making the dream of an effective in-service teacher and principal training programs comes through.

“We are grateful first for the visionary leadership of Prof. Dao Ansu Sonii, Sr. and the Senior Management Team of the MoE, and the GPE for the funding support. Our thanks and appreciation go to our hard-working master trainers and administrators of the three RTTIs for making this graduation possible. We appreciate the great collaboration and coordination with the Getting to Best Project Delivery Team headed by Joe K. Gbasakollie. Mr. Kpenneh said these trainings are key to effective classroom management

The graduates themselves were full of praise for the manner and form in which the training was conducted.

“The training was ok, and the manuals were very rich. I was able to understand my modules, which I think will help me a lot in working with the community and other colleagues at the school as it relates to improving learning outcomes through school leadership and management,” said Principal Anneta L. Taylor – Sackie Gbomoh Public School Bong Mines Road, Margibi  County

“The training was very educative, and we thank God for our trainers because they really helped us to understand the lessons the easiest way. I also want to ask that this training be spread all over the country so that others that were not opportune to benefit will be able to benefit and our children will be taught the proper way,” said Teacher Benjamin D. Tarr – Chippy Memorial Public School, Grand Bassa County.

“The training was very good. We learned a lot of things that we never knew. We had very good trainers that made us grasp every topic and skill in planning a lesson. Using the teacher planners’ help us greatly to understand integration and procedures. We were also taught how to make our own copybooks and play materials as ECE teachers,” noted Teacher Cynthia H. Tarr – Jenneh Public School, Bomi County

Teacher Akin Z. Beggs – Tompoe Pub School, Rivercess added: “The training was fine. We did all the four courses. We did foundations and classroom management. Our teachers did extremely well with the presentation and made us to understand each of the topics that were taught. The trainers also gave us many learning materials.”

The training activities are part of the Liberia Getting to Best in Education (G2B) Project implementation, which includes increasing access to and quality of ECE through school grants and provision of community based ECE services; School Quality Standards, monitoring and inspection; and achieving better learning through improved equity, efficiency, and accountability. The G2B is a five-year project which became effective on June 25, 2018, and will end on June 30, 2023. It is supported by the World Bank.

Margibi County –  The Chairperson of the Margibi County Legislative Caucus, Representative Tibelrosa Summon Tarponweh has urged graduates of the Smythe Institute of Management and Technology to use their education to positively impact their society which he said, has been “characterized by deception, hatred, injustice and corruption”.

Representative Tarponweh said the acquisition of knowledge must serve as a launch pad to national development; noting that improving the educational sector strengthens the outcome.

The Margibi County District one lawmaker made these remarks on Saturday when he delivered the commencement massage at the 18^th Commencement Convocation of the Smythe Institute of Management and Technology. He and spoke on the topic, “What Does Liberia Gain from Your Achievement?”

The Margibi County Lawmaker used the occasion to call on the graduates to not repeat the mistakes of the past but serve as agents of change to fight corruption, poverty and illiteracy.

“That is why you are called to action, as you join the Black-Gown Club, to be light in darkness and a defender of selfless service. The fact is, since by choice you have obtained this level of education, you have made yourselves leaders. It should then be easy to understand why those who know must lead those who do not know”, Representative Tarponweh urged.

Continuing he said: “Today, our graduates, you are builders of nation and great employers in waiting. You are well equipped with sound moral and academic weapons to fight forces of corruption, poverty and illiteracy. You are the pillars on which beautiful edifices will be built. It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given that separates one person from another”.

Applauding the graduates for their achievement, the Margibi Lawmaker called on them to make use of every opportunity that comes in the building process of their country Liberia. He called on the graduates not to sit and join the chorus of the usual criticism of governments or cheerleaders.

“The leaders that you are must be demonstrated by action to advance the priority of nation-building. Let me cry on you not to repeat the unethical behavior of this generation where you cannot distinguish between professionals and non-professionals.”

He encouraged the students to keep persevering and increase the percentage of their endurance.

“Never despair, never neglect, never deny and never defeat yourselves of what may seem impossible by others. Keep persevering; increase the percentage of your endurance because the outside world is far from being in a classroom. I do not regret being this statement because at age 175, Liberia has been let down by educated people who came before you: greedy, arrogant, selfish and betrayal of the public trust.”

Representative Tarponweh lauded the founders of the institution for working hard so that their dreams of providing tertiary education are realized.