A Liberian educator and Principal of the Kakata Community College (KCC) in Kakata Margibi County, Anthony M. Jallah wants the Government of Liberia allocate twenty-five percent of its revenue in the national budget to support the educational system of Liberia.
Mr. Jallah giving his academy report at souvenir program marking the 17th thanksgiving and commencement convocation of the KCC said it is saddening that the Country has not been able to reach the benchmark of making the kind of allocation that should increase and improve the educational system in the Country.
“As our fellow African and Western Countries are moving far ahead, the World report says that for any Nation to be able to move in line among the comity of Nation, at least that Nation should be in the position to make an annual budgetary allocation of between 20 and 24% of the national income”. He lamented.
According to him, Liberia up to yet has only been able to make about 13.7% allocation describing it as a lip service to the improvement of education as well as a cosmetic improvement to education in the Country.
He stated that if the Country’s educational facilities should be improved and build the potential of the young Liberians that should be replacing them; they as parents and teachers should be in the position to pressurize the government to make sure that it reaches the benchmark of making an annual allocation of 24% toward the education system in Liberia.
Mr. Jallah however, cataloged challenges his institution faced during the 2017/2018 academic year as the result of the lack of support.
The Liberian educator in his statement said the 2017/2018 academy year like any other academy year in post-war Liberia was of no difference indicating that it started with a huge challenge of covering the issue of acquiring institutional and instructional materials.
He averred that it was a challenge of preparing students to prepare themselves for the first time for the WASSCE Exams and a challenge to be able to morally and academically train young Liberians whom they should expect to replace them in Life.
Anthony M. Jallah added that with all these challenges they as school administration coordinated and collaborated with their local Educational Authorities by making sure that they open their doors to instruction in September of 2017.
He asserted that at the beginning of the school year, there was a very huge enrollment of students which increased KCC’s challenge as an institution and intensified their challenge as instructional capacity builders.
Mr. Jallah noted that while it is true that in Liberia their institution was no different from other institutions, their biggest challenge was making sure that the students could face the WASSCE Exams and face WASSCE squarely.
He said the results of the WASSCE Exams were not encouraging but it was not strange to them because the government had not made the necessary allocation towards the high study that the students needed to go through.
The Principal meanwhile, praised the students terming them as being unique noting that record can show on grounds that up to present they still stand as the champions in the quizzing competition.
He said they reach the level of graduation because his administration received the cooperation, coordination and collaboration between the students and got the support from the parents and guardians who are responsible for the students.
The KCC Boss indicated that no matter how little it was the local office of the Ministry of Education was able to give them the support the Institution needed.
He hailed parents of the graduates for supporting their children in achieving quality education in their lives but said the graduation is not the end to the educational journey of their children.
He acknowledged that parents are usually faced with a huge challenge of finding those necessities and needs for their children pointing out that most of them are not income earners thus.
He added that it is their hope that as they climax the 2017/2018 academy year, the national and central government will make those necessary provisions so that schools can be able to reach their biggest and highest potentials in the educational sojourn.
