Monrovia – The School of the Deaf in Brewerville, Montserrado County, says it is facing serious challenge in catering to its essential needs, while accusing the Group of 77 of applying no effort to address the school’s condition.
Report by Willie N. Tokpah, [email protected]
Recently, the school’s director, Rev. Torgbor E. Dixon complained that the institution had engaged the Group of 77 for the past 12 years for support but to no avail.
Some of the problems the school faces are lack of funds to pay staffs, lack of electricity and medical supplies, Dixon said.
“Well, we want to tell God thanks because today is a beginning of a new day, over the years, we have not been receiving funding from the Group of 77,” he said, after receiving donation from the Malachi York Foundation, a philanthropic group.
“We have been pushing that for the past 12 years and up to now, we are still pushing it and it has not materialized yet.”
Rev. Dixon was speaking during the weekend when the Dr. Malachi York Foundation donated US$1,000 along with one laptop computer, a portable WIFI, a flat screen monitor, and a generator to the school.
The US$1,000 is intended to purchase food, medicines and fuel for the school.
The School of Deaf is the first in the country to benefit from a donation by the Foundation.
Meanwhile, the Group of 77 through the Office of Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor has promised a renewed working relationship with the School of the Deaf under the Weah-led administration, especially through the Malachi York Foundation.
“Malachi York Foundation will work with the School of the Deaf in providing international education at every level in a short period of time after discussion with them. They want to work throughout the country and want us at the Group of 77 to help them identify programs for the deaf, visually impair and physically challenged,” said Wayfa Florence Ciapha, Director of the Group of 77.
Rev. Torgbor revealed that although the Group of 77 has been slow in responding to its plight, the Ministry of Education has been helpful to the school.
But the support from MOE became ineffective prior to the coming in of the new administration, something that has posing challenges for the institution.
The School also complained that five of its staffs have been removed from the government payroll, which is burdensome for the school.
The Vice President’s office is credited for recommending the school of deaf to the Foundation for the support and further support, adding that more support is still needed for the school.
Den Tut Rayay, vice president of the Malachi Foundation, said the donation was the beginning of extending arms to the needy in Liberia, especially persons with disabilities.
“All we are doing is to continue the legacy of Dr. Malachi York by assisting unfortunate humans as a result of disability,” Rayay averred.
Rayay added that the initiative is a “lifespan venture” that will render more assistance to the country’s education and health sector, promising to bring in expatriates contribute to the sectors.