President Sirleaf Calls for Quality Early Childhood Education, as KRTTI Graduates 264 Teachers; At 84th Founders Day, She Recalls Days When BWI Was ‘Pride of the Nation’ Monrovia, Liberia - President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf says that unless early childhood education is prioritized, efforts to transform the nation’s educational system will be futile. Delivering the keynote address at the Graduation Program of the Pre-Service “C” Certificate Teachers’ Training Program of the Kakata Rural Teaching Training Institute (KRTTI) on Saturday, June 29, President Sirleaf highlighted steps already undertaken through the Ministry of Education in enhancing this process, including an increase in the number of public schools catering to early childhood education, as well as formulating a policy that will address the total well-being and development of the child. “While these measures are being taken,” the Liberian leader said, “it is equally the responsibility of parents and the community to join hands with government in making early childhood development a success.” According to an Executive Mansion release, President Sirleaf said that of the 47 percent of school-age children enrolled at pre-primary or primary levels, 63.5 percent are overage. She termed this as troubling; and there was the need for a pragmatic and quick fix. Having spent much of her first term in building schools, recreating teaching and getting children off the streets, the President said, it was now time to focus on quality education, which is central to government’s Agenda for Transformation. During her speech, which turned into an interactive session with students and Education Ministry officials, President Sirleaf ordered the Ministries of Education and Finance to work collaboratively to have the newly trained teachers assigned throughout the country and placed on payroll. While the government was aware of ghost names on its payroll, which was being remedied, that should not serve as an obstacle to having the new graduates employed, with special attention to those taking up assignments in the rural areas, Madam Sirleaf said. She also informed the KRTTI administration of government’s consideration to make direct budgetary appropriations to the three Teachers’ Training Institutes – KRTTI, in Kakata, Margibi County; ZRTTI, in Zorzor, Lofa County; and WRTTI, in Webbo, River Gee County – to take effect beginning fiscal year 2013/2014. In the past, funds appropriated for the Teachers’ Training Institutes came under the budget line of the Ministry of Education. However, the President cautioned their administrators to be fully accountable for the monies allocated to them. “We will work with the Ministry of Finance in putting into place a financial management team to help in that direction,” she said. Liberia’s budget year runs from July 1st to June 30th. The President’s pronouncement was in response to the comments by KRTTI’s Director, Mrs. Precious Wede Brownell-Dennis, about either the lack of funds or delays by the Ministry of Finance in the disbursement of appropriations for each academic year. In a PowerPoint presentation, she informed about the Institute’s agriculture program that has yielded well for both campus consumption and sales to the communities. Responding, the Liberian leader commended the Principal and trainers for adding farming to the curriculum, as this will enable the students to not only feed themselves but to share this knowledge with their pupils in their areas of assignment, thereby letting everybody know that to feed the nation, we must all be part of it – be it from your backyard, schoolyard – to be able to feed ourselves.” Speaking earlier, the United States Ambassador to Liberia, Mrs. Deborah Malac, said the United States is proud to partner with the Ministry of Education in revamping the campuses of the RTTIs, developing a modernized training curriculum, as well as assisting in training teachers which, over time, will ensure that Liberian children have a chance to be educated. These efforts, supported by USAID and the Peace Corps, underscored the strong and steadfast commitment of the United States in helping Liberia increase opportunity through learning. “You, the teachers sitting before me today, are the face of Liberia’s future. One-third of Liberia’s population is under the age of ten, over half is 20 years or younger, and two-thirds are under 25 years of age,” Ambassador Malac said. She added, “What this means is that the majority of the population – the children you will teach in primary schools and the youth you will teach in alternative basic education classes – will look to you for guidance, and no one’s work is more important to the psychological, economic and social development of Liberian children than your work as teachers.” Reacting to President Sirleaf’s directive, the Ministry of Education called on the newly trained teachers to immediately proceed to Monrovia and begin processing Personnel Action Notices (PAN) that will lead to their employment and assignment. Assistant Education Minister for Early Childhood Education, Felecia Doe-Somah, who proxied for Education Minister Etmonia David-Tarpeh, said these efforts were in support of the Liberian leader’s vision to address the urgency in revamping the sector. She reminded the graduates of their responsibility not only as teachers, but also leaders who are building the future leaders of the county. The Margibi County Legislative Caucus, represented by its Chairman, Senator Oscar Cooper, committed the county to using its County Development Funds to invest in early childhood education through the County Education Board. He noted that the county authorities equally shared the President’s concern of the need to address challenges in impacting quality education to Liberian children. The 264 trainees graduated in fields of study that included social studies, mathematics, general science and language arts, among others. They come from seven counties – Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Montserrado, River Cess, and host Margibi, among which are 58 females and 206 males. They are expected to take up assignment in their respective counties. Built in 1976, KRTTI is the largest of the three Rural Teachers Training Institutes, and previously offered training programs in “A,” “B,” and “C” Certificates. Its doors closed as the result of the civil conflict, and only reopened in 2009. Since then, it has not been able to reintroduce its “A” and “B” Certificate Programs. As part of efforts to fill the gap in training teachers for the “B” Certificate, which includes Grades 7 to 9, President Sirleaf announced that the Government will reintroduce this program beginning the new academic year. Founder’s Day at BWI Also in Kakata, President Sirleaf participated in the 84th Founder’s Day Program of the Booker Washington Institute (BWI). She recounted her ties with the Institute when she and her late husband, Mr. James Sirleaf, lived and taught ROTC there. “When I come to BWI, I don’t come as President, but as somebody who lived right on this campus. So BWI was something that was part of us. BWI was the pride of the nation,” she remembered. The President told students of the days when BWI graduates were sought after by the concessionaires operating in Liberia, because of the quality education it offered at the time. She wished that it were so today, referring to that time as the period of “old-fashioned education” – that which taught one how to be honest, hard working and respectful. She regretted that those values of life had been eroded in the upbringing of Liberian students. The President’s comments were in response to new Principal, Alexander Massey’s observations that the school has lost its old-time virtues. He cited mass failures, disrespect, dishonesty and the school gradually turning into a day school instead of the original boarding school as the current challenges facing BWI. He attributed the irregularities to students’ choosing to live off campus – although having the means of living on campus -- in order to avoid school restrictions. President Sirleaf said she was aware of the challenges facing the school and its downward trend, which she said justified why she took the action that led to a change in administration. Although she was criticized at the time, she believed it was the right action, in order to save the image of BWI. She then pledged a power generator and a transformer for the transmission of electricity, to address that the administration cited as a major challenge in administering academic activities on the campus.
Posted on: Tue, 02 Jul 2013 19:52:13 +0000
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