Monrovia – In an effort to promote accountability and improve service delivery in public schools, the Kids Education Engagement Project (KEEP), has launched a one-year accountability and service delivery project in 12 public schools across three counties in Liberia.
Report by Gerald C. Koinyeneh – [email protected]
The schools include Sappimah, Panker Town, Gbarmynma and Weafur-Gbarma Public Schools in Gbapolu Counties; Zleh Town, Gboloken, Tuzon and Toe Town Public Schools in Grand Gedeh Counties and Todee, Bahr Town, Morris Farm and James Moore Public Schools of Montserrado County.
Described as a messy system by former President Sirleaf, Liberia’s education system is hampered by inadequate school supplies, lack of qualified teachers and corruption, especially in public schools.
Abuse of resources, teacher absenteeism, and sex for grades are common.
A culture of silence prevents reporting of problems and hence any constructive reform.
KEEP is taking a “small step, but a giant leap” toward addressing some of the ills that have plagued the sector for years.
KEEP, with support from the Open Society for West Africa initiative (OSIWA), has launched a one-year anti-corruption, accountability and service delivery project in these schools to improve the overall learning outcome of children attending public schools in Liberia.
Speaking to FrontPage Africa over the weekend at KEEP’s head office in Paynesville, the Founder and Executive Director of KEEP, Brenda Brewer Moore, explained that under the program, about 150 women from the three counties (50 from each county) are being trained to effectively monitor the schools.
“The overall goal is to improve the learning outcome of the students in the public schools and to give the women a better understanding of how they can help monitor the schools their children are attending.”
“Things they will be looking at include whether teachers are performing their duties and the children are going to schools and whether school supplies are being used for the intended purpose and if the DEOS (District Education Officers) are monitoring the schools,” Mrs. Moore explained.
She noted the program is also intended to use women as agents of positive change in the education sector and to make their voices heard in their communities.
“Women are often marginalized in discussion publicly.”
“In their community, women always shy away from speaking out against some of these things because they feel that it is the men’s business. It is the people business. So, part of this is to tell them that no, it is not only the people’s business.”
“As care givers, women are the ones that are affected the most when it comes to service delivery.”
“Also, a part of this is to encourage women to make their voices heard. They are affected the most in the community,” she averred.
Also speaking, KEEP’s Project Coordinator, Aloysius Taylor noted that at the end of the yearlong pilot project, the findings and recommendations will be published and presented to major stakeholders in the education sector to address some of the gaps.
Mr. Taylor noted that the schools’ authorities including the Principals and DEO all welcome the idea and are collaborating with KEEP in ensuring the project is successfully implemented.
“After a year of operation, we will make recommendations to both the educational authorities and other stakeholders within the education sector. “
“These data will be collated and presented at high-level meetings with stakeholders,” he noted.
KEEP’s initiative came amid increasing report of patronage and bribery by administrators, professors, and students in the education sector.
Lucia K. Freeman, a parent and one of the beneficiaries thanked KEEP for the enlightenment and averred that she will work with her colleagues and the schools to improve service delivery in public schools.
Madam Freeman called on the government of Liberia to render more support to the public schools to put them on par with private institutions of learning.
“Since we came to KEEP, they have educated us. We now know that the demand of birthday gifts by teachers from students, assignment fees, teacher’s appreciation fees are all forms of corruption.”
“Now it is left with us the mothers to work seriously for our children to get proper education.”
“And we are appealing to the government to look up to public schools for our children to get quality education because we don’t have the hand (means) to send them to private schools,” she urged.
“In the school corruption is rampant. It is crippling the education sector.”
“Although my children are not in public schools, I am taking part in this exercise to ensure that public schools are improved so that my children would one day attend public schools to allow me complete high schools,” a hopeful Blessing Ajaie stated.