Monrovia – The Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS) is turning to innovative ideas as a means of overcoming its challenges as resource scarcity hits the government very hard.
Mr. Samuel M. Nyenuh, Director of Public Relations and Media Services at the MCSS, said the results of new innovation have been “somewhat effective”.
“We’ve been innovative with respect to how we run our school system in the absence of funds,” Nyenuh said.
According to Nyenuh, since the inception of this academic school year, the MCSS has several challenges because of insufficient funds from the government.
“We’ve had issues with funds forthcoming for goods, services and operations and salaries.”
Because of some of the challenges, supervisors have not been able to adequately reach out to their assigned schools for routine checkups, he added.
Nyenuh said the relationship between the MCSS and the Ministry of Education is cordial. But said the MCSS is aware that “the government is challenged that’s why funds are not forthcoming like before”.
“When these things are not forthcoming, we will not close down the schools or shut down because we made a promise to keep the students in school,” he said.
He added that in order to help ease the financial burden on the government, they have been reaching out to well-meaning Individuals and institutions including banks and stationary stores to gather “support for the running of the day- to-day affairs of the MCSS schools”.
He disclosed that prior to the start of the current school year, most of the students at William V.S Tubman High in Sinkor, Monrovia did not have seating but the MCSS was able to intervene.
“We were able to reach out to the head of Liberia Maritime Authority who donated five hundred arm chairs to the student,” he said.
“Those of them who couldn’t give cash were able to give stationery like rim of sheets, inks and even laptops to enable us run the school in the absence of some funds from the government.”
“Our schools are intact, not to denigrate other school but we are doing well.”
The MCSS official is meanwhile encouraging all parents to take advantage of the school system, by sending their children there because; according to him they have some of the best instructors in the country.
“If you cannot afford what the private school is charging, make use of the MCSS public school because there is no non-degree holder teaching from our junior through high school levels.”
The MCSS operates 23 public schools in Monrovia and its environs, Including the Tubman High School, GW. Gibson and the D. Tweh Memorial High Schools.