MONROVIA — The Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) Liberia Chapter has conducted a refresher training and induction exercise for members of its National Recruitment Committee as the organization moves to expand access to tertiary and technical and vocational education for marginalized young Liberians.
By Christopher C. [email protected] |
The one-day exercise, held Tuesday, September 15 in Monrovia forms part of the FAWE-Mastercard Foundation Phase II Program, implemented under the theme:, “Increasing access to tertiary education for marginalized young women and men.”
The initiative aims to provide educational opportunities for 650 marginalized young people across 10 counties Montserrado, Margibi, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Maryland, Nimba, Bong and Lofa.
It targets young people who face severe barriers to higher education and technical and vocational training, including persons with disabilities, refugees, internally displaced persons, returnees, and other vulnerable groups.
Speaking during the opening session, Assistant Minister for TVET, STEM and Special and Inclusive Education at the Ministry of Education, Nathaniel Cisco, noted that the government’s scholarship interventions remain insufficient to meet Liberia’s growing educational demands.
“We are in this together,” Cisco said, emphasizing that the nation must continuously create pathways for youth to acquire quality education and professional skills.
Cisco acknowledged that while the Ministry of Education provides scholarships, government support alone cannot address the needs of all Liberian students.
He warned that denying young people opportunities to pursue education and professional training carries consequences far beyond the individual beneficiaries.
Using the analogy of a young person aspiring to become a pilot, Cisco noted that if an individual is denied access to proper training, the systemic fallout of inadequate preparation ultimately affects society as a whole.
“The next medical doctor, the next pilot, the next scientist is right there,” Cisco said, stressing the urgency of identifying and supporting talented youth before their potential is lost.
He commended FAWE Liberia and the Mastercard Foundation for sustaining their partnership, noting that Phase II aligns with national priorities aimed at expanding equitable access to education, strengthening technical and vocational pathways, and ensuring no learner is left behind due to gender, disability, or socioeconomic circumstances.
Cisco urged members of the National Recruitment Committee to approach their duties with utmost seriousness, asserting that the selection process must be guided by fairness, transparency, and integrity.
FAWE: 650 Opportunities, 650 Lives
FAWE Liberia Executive Director, Millias Z. Sheriff, emphasized that the committee’s responsibility extends beyond reviewing applications, describing the recruitment process as a life-changing gateway for hundreds of young Liberians.
Sheriff thanked committee members for accepting the role and underscored that the 650 targets represent individual human lives, dreams, and aspirations.
“Six hundred and fifty may sound like a number, but for us, it represents 650 individual lives,” Sheriff said.
He noted that for some beneficiaries, the scholarship represents the difference between attending university and remaining at home, while for others, it offers technical skills that drive employment, entrepreneurship, and self-reliance.
Sheriff stressed that the recruitment process must remain fair, transparent, inclusive, accountable, and evidence-based.
He issued a stern warning against favoritism, discrimination, political influence, and personal connections.
“Our responsibility is not to select people we know. Our responsibility is to select eligible applicants who meet the established criteria,” Sheriff said, adding that committee members must be able to stand by their decisions based strictly on evidence, eligibility and need.
Refugees and Vulnerable Youth Targeted
Also speaking, the Executive Director of the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC), Cole Bangalu, welcomed the initiative, praising its explicit focus on vulnerable populations.
Bangalu highlighted that refugee communities in Liberia continue to face significant barriers to higher education, despite many young refugees having been born and raised in the country.
He recounted visits to refugee communities in Grand Gedeh, Nimba, and urban centers, where Ivorian and Sierra Leonean parents expressed frustration over their children’s inability to advance beyond secondary school due to financial constraints.
“We thought it was a dream realized,” Bangalu said regarding the FAWE-Mastercard Foundation program, describing it as a critical intervention to bridge a longstanding educational gap.
However, Bangalu reiterated that inclusion must be matched by transparency and unwavering integrity during selection.
He called on the committee to ensure that recruitment is grounded strictly in vulnerability, merit, and eligibility free from political patronage or favoritism.
“The credibility of this initiative will depend not only on the number of young people we reach, but also on how fairly and transparently those beneficiaries are selected,” Bangalu noted.
Protecting the Integrity of the Process
The training convened representatives from government ministries, higher education institutions, TVET centers, civil society organizations, youth networks, disability advocacy groups, and community structures.
According to FAWE Liberia, this multi-stakeholder makeup is designed to bring diverse perspectives to the table while keeping the interests of marginalized youth at the center.
Sheriff urged committee members to foster respectful dialogue, challenge assumptions objectively, and prevent personal interests from compromising their duties.
He also emphasized the critical importance of safeguarding and confidentiality, reminding members that they will handle sensitive personal data.
He instructed the team to protect applicants from harassment, exploitation, abuse, and discrimination while declaring any potential conflicts of interest immediately.
Sheriff concluded by stating that FAWE Liberia remains accountable to its partners, applicants, their families, the Government of Liberia, and the Mastercard Foundation.
The National Recruitment Committee is set to deploy the principles and procedures established during the training as the program moves directly into its beneficiary recruitment and selection phase.
Support Independent Journalism
Your support helps FrontPage Africa continue delivering independent, credible, and impactful journalism. Every contribution strengthens our ability to investigate, inform, and hold power accountable while keeping quality journalism accessible to our readers.
Support our journalism or subscribe to receive the latest FrontPage Africa stories and updates.
