Paynesville, Girl for Change a women’s rights organization committed to transforming the society and supporting women/girls affected by all forms of violence, supporting teen-age mothers and the less fortunate girls mobilized Civil Society Organizations Working in the Education sector to attend a one day policy and accountability dialogue in Education under the Youth Education for Active Citizenship and Gender Equality (YEG) to discuss urgent issues that affect the sector.
The project is funded by Oxfam Liberia and the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the dialogue brought together high level CSOs that have been working in the Education space and representative from the Education NGO Forum, for many years they have been championing the cause for the advancement of education in Liberia.
The dialogue which was held on December 4, 2020 in Paynesville City, brought together cross sessions of participants, they used their experience sharing knowledge to look at the various policies in the Education Sector and how CSOs are able to strengthen the already existing coalition to champion a genuine advocacy with new approach that can be done differently.
Making presentation at the dialogue was Mr. Eugene M. Gray, an experience education specialist working in the education sector and who also provided technical assistance to the Ministry of Education for little over 4years shared his thoughts and experience on the issues and what the team should have identify that could informed the development of the policy brief.
The event brought together 22 national civil society organizations like (NTAL, UMOVEMEN, and YOCEL, Educate the Future, KEEP and the Education NGO Forum amongst others).
Participants at the dialogue highlighted key policies gaps that could informed the development of the policy brief ranging from the Education Reform Act of 2011, The Girls Education Act, The TVET Policy and they also outline the lapses within the Liberia Education Advancement Program (LEAP).
The discussion became more fascinating and interactive and with clue from the Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development under pillar one – Power to the People that speaks about Education with focus on skills and vocation education stakeholders at the dialogue built consensus and agreed through a short resolution that the development of the policy brief should focus on the following areas Early Childhood improvement and the TVET Sector. With direct focus on learning outcomes, impact of TVET with new innovations and the enrollment and completion of girls in the TVET programs.
With these consensus and to validate stakeholders stands on the TVET sector they highlighted the United Nations Industrial Organization Report of 2016 which revealed that Women and Girls are under-represented in nearly all levels of education, including junior high, senior high, most especially Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions in Liberia.
In addition, the report also mentioned equity challenges facing the education sector in Liberia and intimated that most training programs are concentrated in urban areas, particularly Monrovia and the report also similarly highlighted three main areas within the TVET sector that need urgent attention Access, Quality, Participation and Learning Outcomes by Gender.