Monrovia – Andrew G. Davies of the 8th grade class at the June L. Moore Public school, in Gbengbar Town in Paynesville, is very excited to see a modern reading room with computers set up on his school campus by Kids Educational Engagement Program (KEEP).
Report by Mae Azango = [email protected]
“This reading room will benefit me because I will build up my reading skills.”
“If I build up my reading skills by reading other books, I can even serve as guest speakers at any program tomorrow,” said Davies who because of his size can easily pass for a 3rd grader.
Davies, who wants to be a civil engineer, spoke over the weekend on his school campus in Paynesville during the dedication ceremony of the reading room.
He stood firm among his peers who were all shy to speak and said he was not pleased seeing his age mates selling on the streets during school hours.
“I am telling parents out there to stop sending their children in the street to sell and send them to our school June L. Moore, so they can be able to build up their treading skills and be useful citizens tomorrow,” he said.
“Whether you are in school or not, be like me and read any book you can put your hands on because it will help to broaden your knowledge.”
At the program, local authority and the school’s principal stressed the concern of having security guards to watch the newly established reading room, as the school in the past fell prey to burglary on many occasions.
“Pertaining to the security system of the school, we will help the school to work along with any security to ensure that the books and computers are safe, because if these computers and books are taken away by thieves, it will be a great setback to our children,” says Assistant Town Chief of Gbengbar Town, Emmanuel Togar.
Togar said they the reading room was the first of its kind in the Gbengbar Town since 1969 when the school was built, adding that the community was happy to have the reading room.
“Students, you sang a beautiful song entitled ‘Transformation’, but the question is: ‘Are you prepared to be transformed when many of you run away from school and lied to your parents that there is no good lesson at school? , Togar asked rhetorically.
“Your action helps to damage the reputation of the institution, which is not good,” he added.
Addressing the issue of security of the school, Education Minister George Warner, said security was everybody’s concern including parents, teachers and the community because even security guard could not be trusted.
“You are asking for security guards, but do you know that a truck load of books that you are to benefit from were stolen from the Ministry of Education when so many security guards were on duty?” Minister Werner said.
“So the best security is community leadership because people who steal from the school are known by the very students who see these items in people’s home but won’t report. When you see school property like desk and chairs in people homes, report it,” Said Minister Warner.
Brenda Brewer Moore, founder of KEEP, who before speaking about the reading room establishment, made it clear publicly that her family was in no way related to the owner of the school.
The clarity came about when people were asking if Moore was related to the school family, so this was why she built a reading room.
“Before I go further, let me make it clear that I have no relationship with the June L. Moore School neither are they related to any of my family members,” Moore said.
She then said over 800 students from the junior high school would be benefiting from a thousand books in the reading room to help build up their vocabulary.
She said without good reading skill a student could not excel in any other subject.
“I have realized that many of Liberian children do not read. When we did a vacation school here, and found out that many of the children were not learning how to read but they were taught by the teachers how to memorize a book.
They could not read with comprehension or recognize words in the book, but yet they could memorize the entire book.
According to a USAID report published in 2013, a student in 5th grade cannot read a 2nd grade book; this is why we at KEEP are making reading our major part of our intervention.”
She revealed that the entire reading project cost only US$7,500.00, including the five computers from Lonestar Cell MTN.
“So you see with small money, a lot can be done to improve the lives of our children,” said Moore
Moore further revealed that her staff who run the KEEP program did not just create the access of a reading room and walked away but stayed long term to help the kids develop their reading skills.
“We teach one child at a time and we do it week after week and we are happy to have volunteers coming by to help the kids read,” she added.