MONROVIA – Alfalit Liberia says more than 3000 adults will this December graduate from its Literacy, Basic Education and Job Skills Training Programs in five counties of Liberia.
The series of graduations begins Saturday, December 7 in Unification Town where 255 adults will be certificated, having completed the Alfalit Literacy and Basic Education Curriculum. According to Alfalit Liberia, the graduates are capable to write, read and work basic arithmetic meant to improve their standards of living. Margibi County former Representative Ballah Zazay will serve as guest speaker.
A release from Alfalit Liberia says 80% of the literacy graduates in five counties are females, while 20% are males. Alfalit for 2019 ran 75 literacy centers for more than 4000 adult students in Montserrado, Margibi, Bassa, Bong and Bomi Counties.
Alfalit Liberia says over two thousand adults will on Tuesday graduate from the Alfalit Program at the Paynesville Town Hall, where Stella Maria Polytechnic President, Sister Mary Laurene Browne will serve as the Guest Speaker. Several personalities including Mildred Dean the current Board Chair of Alfalit Liberia, Dr. Benjamin Lactey a founding member of Alfalit Liberia, authorities of the Ministry of Education and representatives of development partners will grace the occasions.
Other graduations will benefit 145 students in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County on 13 December, and 224 students in Bong on December 14. The Job Skills training program of Alfalit this year will graduate 26 students who have completed tailoring and are prepared to practice the art for personal earnings.
Meanwhile, the Acting Executive Director of Alfalit Liberia, Jerome Williams is calling on civil society actors including the churches and religious organizations to rally efforts aimed at increasing the literacy rate of Liberia. He thinks every Liberian should have the right to education despite their ages and statuses.
Alfalit Liberia, Mr. Williams said will endeavor to increase partnership with non-profit and profit institutions for the sake of promoting and taking on literacy services for all Liberians including those in the remotest parts of the country.
He recounted Alfalit’s experience in running rural literacy programs as well as facilitating literacy training for market women. “Plans are underway to go back to some of our work with market women and rural women who are prime target of our intervention in Liberia”, Rev. Williams said.
Alfalit enrolled more 4000 literacy students from the beginning of the year. More than 3000 are graduating out of the different programs. At least 1000 will be expected to continue or advance their literacy and job skills once grants are secured for the work in 2020.