MONROVIA – UNICEF, in partnership with other key agencies, over the weekend convened a pivotal National Policy Dialogue under the theme: “From Commitments to Action: Making Learning and Skills Development Institutions Safe from Violence.”

By Francis G. Boayue

The high-level forum brought together government officials, UN agencies, and civil society partners to chart a concrete path forward for protecting children in educational and vocational settings.

The dialogue centered on translating existing policy commitments into measurable actions to ensure that all educational environments, particularly Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, are free from all forms of violence and abuse.

During the program, several principal figures called for immediate and expanded action.

Hellen Nyangoya, Chief of Child Protection, UNICEF, delivered a powerful statement advocating for universal access to vocational education, declaring, “We must ensure TVET education is accessible to every child in Liberia, but more importantly, that these spaces are inherently safe, protective environments.”

Also speaking, Catherine Naserian, Gender and CSO Advisor at UNIDO, stressed the critical role of gender mainstreaming and civil society collaboration in the process.

She highlighted the need for robust institutional policies that specifically address gender-based violence within skills development centers.

For her part, Gloria Yancy, UNFPA Gender Program Specialist, lauded the initiative, commending the partners for moving the conversation beyond mere policy formulation and into the realm of accountability and implementation.

The Technical Assistant to the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Alfreda B. Jacobs, affirmed the Ministry’s commitment, noting that the dialogue aligns directly with the government’s efforts to strengthen child protection mechanisms across all sectors.

Buchanan, Grand Bassa County – Ahmad Shahvez, the Officer-in-Charge and Deputy Representative of UNICEF to Liberia, has urged for increased collaboration to tackle critical challenges affecting birth registration in the country. These challenges include unreliable electricity and internet connectivity, insufficient domestic resources, and limited accountability at decentralized levels.

Speaking on behalf of UNICEF Representative Andy Brooks and OIC Amadou Alassane Cisse during the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) Day celebration in Buchanan over the weekend, Mr. Shahvez highlighted the pressing need to address these issues. He emphasized that these challenges continue to hinder progress and require renewed commitments to overcome them.

“As we celebrate this year’s African Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Day, we are hopeful that we can strengthen our collaborative efforts and renew our commitments to address these challenges and promote the integration of all civil registration and vital statistics systems,” Mr. Shahvez stated.

The event, themed “Strengthening the Linkage of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics to Legal Identity Systems through Digitalization for Enhanced Inclusion,” focused on the importance of digital integration. Mr. Shahvez noted that improving digital linkages would ensure accurate and timely data on births, deaths, and marriages, enabling the government to make informed decisions on critical issues such as healthcare, education, and social welfare.

He added that by linking these systems, Liberia can more effectively verify identities and deliver targeted services, reducing waste and duplication.

Mr. Shahvez also emphasized that legal identity is a fundamental right, crucial for accessing education, healthcare, and participating in society, particularly for children. “These are just a few reasons why strengthening the linkages of these systems is crucial,” he asserted.

On behalf of UNICEF, Mr. Shahvez called on all stakeholders to work together to ensure universal coverage for birth registration, stressing the urgency of immediate action. He urged the Liberian government and development partners to collaborate, noting that a newborn child not only needs a full set of vaccinations but also requires registration and a birth certificate—referred to as a “passport to life.”

The UNICEF official highlighted that under the leadership of the Minister of Health, UNICEF continues to advocate for the inclusion of birth registration services in essential and routine health service delivery packages. This coordinated approach, he explained, enhances the interoperability of immunization and birth registration services, ensuring efficiency and sustainability in service delivery.

Mr. Shahvez also outlined key achievements supported by UNICEF, in collaboration with the governments of Sweden, France, and Japan. He noted that birth registration services have been decentralized, now available in all 15 counties and extended to health facilities across Liberia, covering 98% of health districts.

Additionally, the Birth Registration Information Management System has been integrated into the District Health Information Systems 2 (DHIS2) platform for real-time reporting. “The digitization of birth registration processes, including the use of tablets and an online registration system, facilitates the issuance of digital birth certificates,” he added.

MONROVIA – UNICEF has donated essential cold chain equipment and accessories to the Ministry of Health to ensure the safe storage and delivery of vaccines to support the routine immunization of children and mothers.

By Edwin G. Genoway, Jr (231886458910) – edwin.genoway@gmail.com

The Cold Chain Equipment & Accessories are worth over four hundred thousand United States Dollars (US$400,000).

The Ministry of Health in Liberia recently engaged the Center for Disease Control (CDC)-Africa for the procurement of the equipment. The CDC Africa then engaged UNICEF to intervene in the procurement process.

The Equipment & Accessories were officially presented to the Ministry of Health on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, in Paynesville.

Officially, UNICEF Liberia turned over the equipment to the CDC Africa for a formal presentation to the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Health. Speaking at the ceremony, UNICEF Deputy Country Representative Amadou Cisse disclosed that the turning over of the items is in fulfillment of a commitment made to the government through the Ministry of Health. “UNICEF is always willing to support the health of children around the world, with Liberia being no exception. The equipment presentation today is in fulfillment of what you asked for,” he said.

For his part, West Africa Regional program lead at Africa CDC, Dr. Olayinka Stephen Ilesanmi, said the gesture highlights the intensive efforts of the government and its partners toward the wellbeing of Liberians. “It is important to note that the CDC Africa is committed to service to the people,” he added.

Also remarking, Sinoe Country District #2 Representative Sampson Weah commended the partners, saying Cold Chain Equipment & Accessories have been a major challenge for Liberia, especially in rural areas.

Meanwhile, Dr. Cuallau Howe, Director for the External Aid Coordination Unit at the Ministry of Health, assured the partners that the equipment will be used for its intended purpose. She urged the members of the Ministry of Health to utilize the equipment properly and avoid charging mobile phones on it, as it uses a solar panel. “Don’t charge phones on it, don’t store your food inside; it’s not for that purpose,” she emphasized.

Cold chain equipment, both electrical and non-electrical, is used for storing vaccines and/or transporting them at appropriate temperatures.

Monrovia – A Liberia country report by the United Nations Children’s Fund(UNICEF) anticipates that the ongoing deadly Covid-19 pandemic would lead to increased cases of acute malnutrition in vulnerable households especially through the pathway of worsened household food security due to closure of markets, reduced agricultural production as well as deterioration in care and feeding practices.

In order to ensure preparedness for anticipated increases in the number of children with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), UNICEF says it is essential that nutrition supplies to be pre-positioned in all 15 counties across Liberia.

The Fund recently provided supplies including 4,815 cartons of Ready to Use Therapeutic foods and 20 cartons of therapeutic milk, it says are critical for the care of children with SAM a condition which if left untreated increases the odds of death among children by up to 10 times.

Supporting Neonatal Care

Furthermore, UNICEF, in support of neonatal care and enable obstetric clinicians to save new-borns whose lives are at stake, has provided the Redemption Hospital in Monrovia with a resuscitation platform.

In total, the FUND says, 1,618 health care providers were trained on detection, referral and appropriate management of COVID-19 cases among children, pregnant and breastfeeding women.

In collaboration with the World Bank and Last Mile Health organization, 518 community workers were trained. “Training modules and terms of reference for Community Health Assistants have been updated to include information on essential health services related to COVID -19. These trainings targeted the five southeast counties (Sinoe, Grand Gedeh, River Gee, Grand Kru, and Maryland), the report noted.

In support of essential health services for maternal neonatal and child health care, 16 health care providers were trained and conducted a rapid assessment of health facilities in the

two most affected COVID 19 counties. In total, according to the report,  27 helath facilities were assessed and the outcome will inform better programming. Essential supplies mainly Integrated Management of Childhood Illness related supplies, such as oral rehydration salt, zinc, amoxicillin and paracetamol for community health activities were distributed to the County Health Teams in the five south east counties (Grand Gedeh, River Gee, Marlyland, Grand Kru and Sinoe) to ensure continuum of care for children and pregnant women under COVID-19 emergency.

Liberia, on April 10, 2020, declared a 60-day state of emergency, putting in place a set of measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, including a curfew, prohibiting movements between counties, banning of public gatherings and suspension of passenger flights. All schools were ordered closed affecting the education of around 1.4 million school children.

Through cooperation with the Ministry of Education, 992,768 children (486,456 girls, 506,312 boys) from pre-school age up to the age of 17 have benefited from the radio-based lessons aired during the reporting period.

Within the framework of the agreement with the World Bank and the Ministry of Health, UNICEF airlifted 14 metric tonnes of vital health supplies to Liberia including oxygen concentrators, pharmaceutical supplies and personal protection equipment.

As of mid-June 2020, UNICEF Liberia has received US$ 1.17 million against its COIVD-19 appeal and reprogrammed 2.14 million to the response. Currently, the office has a funding gap of 81.5 per cent against its appeal of US$ 18 million. Adequate and timely funding is urgently required to continue to provide life- saving support and reach all vulnerable children in the country.

Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs

The population of Liberia is estimated at 4.9 million, and over half of these live below the poverty line (HIES 2016), distributed in rural 71.6 per cent and urban 31.5 per cent. In 2018, 71.2 per cent of Liberians experienced multi-dimensional poverty affecting 51 per cent of the population, who are younger than 19 and 16 per cent being under five.

Liberia reported its first confirmed case of COVID-19 on 16 March 2020 in Monrovia, the country’s capital. As of 15 June 2020, the country had recorded 5091(174 females, 335 males) confirmed cases of COVID-19 including 51 children under 18 and 50 health workers. A total of 223 cases have recovered and 33 deaths have been reported with a case fatality rate of 6.5 per cent. Montserrado County remains the epicentre with 85 per cent of the confirmed cases. Liberia has started the testing of dead bodies in the communities of which 12 have tested positive for COVID-19.

Local transmission from contacting confirmed cases has accounted for approximately 98 per cent of the cases. Following the declaration of a state of emergency starting on 10 April 2020, a set of measures to curb the spread of the virus have been put in place including a curfew, prohibiting movements between counties, adoption of two critical practices – personal hygiene and social/physical distancing, banning of public gatherings and suspension of passenger flights. All schools were ordered closed affecting the education of around 1.4 million school children.

The limited availability of health services, which has affected the right to health of the population also affects the most vulnerable and marginalized people in society particularly, pregnant women, youth, infants, persons with disabilities, and people with underlying health conditions. Containing the COVID-19 pandemic requires a well-coordinated multisectoral response including a system of care, beyond the health care measures. As such, the Government of Liberia has requested the United Nations to assist in the implementation of the country’s COVID-19 national response plan.

Emergency (EIE) working group and further provided technical and financial support to the finalization of the Education Emergency response plan.

Supporting Delivery of Essential Needs

The COVID-19 response and preparedness has been decentralized to the county level. Out of the country’s 15 counties, nine of them are in response mode, one in the 28- day countdown mode and five in preparedness mode. The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) planning and response scenario model is being used by all 15 counties to prepare their COVID-19 preparedness and response plans while heightening surveillance for COVID-19 related illnesses as part of the county’s priority diseases.

UNICEF has developed a partnership with the Inter-Religious Council of Liberia (IRCL) to utilize its extensive experience and religious strength to mobilize and carry “Faith-Based Action to Combat COVID-19 including raising awareness of 600,000 people in eight counties.

UNICEF, the World Bank and the Ministry of Health signed a trilateral agreement through which UNICEF will support the delivery of essential emergency supplies to the Ministry of Health within the framework of the World Bank-financed COVID-19 Emergency Response Project.

UNICEF focuses on ensuring that affected populations have access to life saving information to enhance their knowledge and skills and foster the adaptation of positive behaviors (handwashing, social distancing and wearing of masks etc).UNICEF has supported the production and printing of more than 50,000 copies of culturally appropriate an Information, Educational and Communications materials and messages (posters, flyers, etc.)

More than 1.16 million people including school-age children were reached with awareness messages on prevention of the COVID-19 and means of protection. UNICEF utilized different platforms to reach the target audience mainly through the community radio stations.

Risk-Perception Survey

In the highly affected counties of Montserrado and Margibi, UNICEF supported a risk perceptions survey to assess the perceptions and myths surrounding immunization and COVID-19. The findings from the survey are being used to inform the revision of immunization messages within the current COVID-19 context and promote immunization service uptake.

Through UNICEF’s support to the Ministry of Youth and Sports, trained youth and adolescent peer educators have engaged with 183 children and adolescents (149 girls, 34 boys) to raise their awareness on how to prevent and protect themselves against the COVID-19. Further 23 adolescents (14 girls and 9 boys) and 64 adults (40 women and 24 men) received awareness raising sessions.

In collaboration with UNFPA, training for case management and Infection Prevention Control was provided to 20 health care workers (14 midwives, two psychologists and four monitors) at the maternity wing of the Martha Tubman Hospital. This training strengthened the capacity of frontline health workers who manage the new maternity wing at the military hospital treatment unit to ensure quality care for COVID 19 infected pregnant women and children. In total three pregnant women and 23 children infected with COVID 19 were admitted and later two woman and 11 children have recovered and discharged.

Strategic priority 2: Continuity of health, education and social services; assessing and responding to the immediate secondary impacts of the COVID-19 response.

The passing of laws to end child marriage resulted in blocking thousands of child marriages and enabling second chance education for girls. However, these gains made over the years are in jeopardy in the age of COVID-19.

By Justine Coulson (UNFPA), Roberta Clarke (UN Women) and Mohamed M. Fall (UNICEF)

In Malawi because of cases brought to court, child marriages were annulled, and girls had the opportunity to return to school. Fewer adolescents experienced female genital mutilation (FGM) compared with older generations. In Ethiopia, for instance, 47 per cent of girls aged 15 to 19 years have undergone FGM compared to 75 per cent of women aged 35 to 49 years. The same trend has been observed for child marriage, with a decline from 58 per cent of women aged 25 to 49 years compared to 40 per cent of women aged 20 to 24 years.

These changes were supported by United Nations (UN) global and regional joint programmes, including the UN and European Union Spotlight Initiative to eliminate violence against women and girls and harmful practices such as child marriage and FGM.

However, health crisis such as the Ebola and now the COVID-19 crisis undermine strategies to end sexual and gender-based violence (GBV) and other harmful practices, and poses a serious threat to the significant progress made over the past decade. Livelihoods are lost, social support networks are disrupted, and we are witnessing a reduction of access to reproductive health information and services.  This will inevitably result in an increase in unintended pregnancies, child marriage, school dropouts and sometimes, maternal mortality.

In East and Southern Africa, there are reports of increases in the incidents of sexual and gender-based violence including child marriage and FGM. Countries in the region, already rated as the poorest and most unequal in the world, are further grappling with the effects of the pandemic with communities sinking further into poverty. In these financially-fragile homes, increases in child labour and sexual exploitation and abuse of women and girls are likely unless prevented.

Women and girls trapped in their homes with their abusers are isolated from the services and resources. Additionally, shrinking peer support networks increase a girl’s social isolation and vulnerability. Projections estimate that 31 million additional cases of gender-based violence will occur globally if the lockdown continues for at least six months.

Among the most vulnerable are adolescent girls aged 10 to 19 years with their limited negotiation skills within the family.  Many are likely to fall victim to child marriage; a practice to reduce the family’s economic burden and to increase income through dowry and bride price.

The lockdowns have temporarily shut down schools and other safe spaces for girls, and blocked access to mentorship programmes. Widespread closure of schools has interrupted the education of more than 1 billion children globally, exposing girls to a greater risk of GBV, child marriage, FGM, unintended pregnancies, and HIV infection.

Even prior to the pandemic, adolescent girls were already left behind. With today’s crisis, pre-existing gender inequalities exacerbate their vulnerability. Girls need to return to school to complete their education and create for themselves an empowered future. Post-COVID-19, families may need a financial push, and countries need to make the right investments in young people. The education of girls, second-chance education for survivors of GBV, Child Marriage, and the demographic dividend should be the priority of the governments in the rebuilding efforts.

Failing to pay particular attention to the specific needs of women and girls in times of crisis will undermine their basic rights. It is imperative that public policy efforts and programmes for the elimination of child marriage and FGM are implemented during the pandemic and beyond. This means continued investment on resources that commensurate to the needs of the most left behind girls—for prevention, for education, and for lifesaving SRHR and GBV services and protection.

UNFPA, UNICEF and UN Women remain strongly committed to work with governments and all stakeholders to build societies where women and girls are free of violence and all form of discrimination by 2030. When women and girls can have access to the right information and support and when the governments prioritize their access to services and the justice system, the communities will prosper.

Monrovia – As part of its continuous efforts to eliminate violence against women and girls in Liberia, the Spotlight Initiative is supporting the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the National  Council of Chiefs and Elders to launch a campaign for monitoring the implementation of the Ganta Declaration which calls for a one-year suspension of all Sande society activities; and to raise awareness among communities on measures to prevent the spread of corona virus and respond to sexual and gender based violence.

The Ganta Declaration signed on 25 June 2019 calls for a one-year suspension of Sande society and bush school activities, where young women and girls are initiated into adulthood through a series of activities including Female Genital Mutilation.

“We hope the closure of the bush schools will pave the way for the elimination of all harmful practices against women and girls in Liberia,” says Marie Goreth Nizigama, UN Women Country Representative for Liberia.

“As the custodians of culture and traditional practices, traditional leaders play an important role in ending all forms of violence against women and girls. We commend the European Union and the Government of Liberia for providing the platform to eliminate harmful practices.”

To enable traditional leaders to reach the grassroot communities, UN Women within the framework of the Spotlight Initiative on Friday, May 15, 2020 donated ten motorbikes to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the National  Council of Chiefs and Elders to facilitate the monitoring of the closure of the bush schools and alternative livelihood support.

“We commend the Spotlight Initiative for the provision of motorbikes to enable the Ministry to enforce its mandate to close bush schools and to help eliminate violence against women and girls in the communities,” says Honourable Varney Sirleaf, Minister of Internal Affairs.

Additionally, in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic affecting Liberia, the traditional leaders will raise awareness on the virus and its implications on sexual and gender-based violence in eight counties, including Grand Gedeh, Nimba, Lofa, Montserrado, Grand Cape Mount, Bomi, Bong and Margibi Counties.

COVID-19 conditions are putting a lot of people under strain and increasing the risk of violence against women and girls.  The Spotlight Initiative urges the Government of Liberia and civil society actors to provide a comprehensive response with interventions to prevent violence against women and girls, says Mr. Theodorus Kaspers, Head of Cooperation at the European Union  Delegation in Liberia.

The Spotlight Initiative is a global, multi-year partnership between the European Union and the United Nations. In Liberia, the Initiative seeks to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls including Female Genital Mutilation.

Monrovia – The United Nations Children Fund and Holt International Children Fund have condemned Liberia for failing to address inter-country adoption, especially guidelines for international recognized practices relative to its adoption law.

This was released in a joint consultancy report commissioned by the two groups as outline by the convention of the Rights of Children and the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in respect to inter-country adoption.

Liberia had processed over 11,000 adoptions from 2005 to 2007 but the country law on adoption remains a challenge in meeting international best practices.

But the Deputy of Children and Social Protection at the Ministry of Gender, Social and Children Protection Lydia Mai Sherman said a constant review of the regulation and standard operating procedure of other domestic relations law would enable Liberia meet such standard.

In a conversation with FrontPage Africa Wednesday, Deputy Minister Sherman  emphasized the need for stakeholders involved with adoption procedures across the country to get clearer understanding of the Hague Conventions, which will inform the country’s decision on its  ratification.

According to her, getting a clearer understanding of each responsible government entities and roles will resolve challenges associated with collaboration and coordination amongst stakeholders as well as concerns on operation of unsanctioned adoptions agencies and orphanages which led to alleged trafficking of Liberian children.

The Deputy Gender, Social and Child Protection boss said massive campaign by adoptive parents in the USA against adoptions agencies about the negative impact and ill psychological wellbeing of their adoptive children had been launched in regards to international protocols on adoption.

She frowned at act of adoption that contravene international best practice saying, “adoptive parents withdrawing adoptions or placing children in foster homes or returning them to Liberia is a problem.”

Deputy Minister Sherman recognized the setting up of a committee responsible to work on plan that would speak to international standard of adoption since Liberia was yet to act in conformity with international law.

“In October 2008, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf appointed the Adoption Committee to address issues pertaining to adoptions in Liberia both inter-country and domestics which consisted of the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Ministry of Gender Development, Ministry of Labor, Civil Society, Representative from the Adoptions Union,” Sherman said.

The Deputy Gender noted that a complete awareness, public education, using the CPN as a forum to discuss the issues of adoption internationally in various counties would give citizen an insight on adoption process and will help put Liberia on par with its international counterparts as enshrined in adoption committee work plan.

Sherman further noted that it would also give people a clue on the real meaning of adoptions and prohibits parents giving their children to others due to poverty.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister Sherman has frowned on adoptions agencies and orphanages for making parents to relinquish their rights illegally, relative to adoption.

NOT A DAY goes by without commuters and motorists running into school-age children roaming the streets of Monrovia looking to make a buck.

KIDS WHO SHOULD BE IN School can be seen in between traffic selling assorted goods because they have become the new breadwinners in today’s Liberia where parents simply cannot afford to send their children to school are forced to use them as peddlers.

THIS BLEAK PICTURE speaks volumes for Liberia’s future: A society which should be breeding future leaders has become a haven for peddlers forced to hustle to feed their families.

THIS BLEAK PICTURE is now catching the attention of the world.

LAST WEEK, A United Nations report revealed what most Liberians already knew that the post-war nation has the highest proportion of children missing out on primary school education, with nearly two-thirds of children never stepping inside a classroom.

THE UNITED NATIONS Children’s Fund (UNICEF) report featured African countries hit by conflict in the organization’s first global out-of-school ranking, with South Sudan coming joint second with Eritrea on the list. In both countries, 59 percent of children are out of school.

THE UN REPORT comes a year after a 2015 report by the Ministry of Education trumpeting Free Education for All, heralded that in an effort to improve education, the Government of Liberia was undertaking a five‐Year development strategy (Agenda for Transformation) which aims to prioritized education and seeking to provide educational opportunities for all.

According to the MoE, the goal is to improve quality of life by investing in more accessible and higher quality education.

THE REPORT SUGGESTED THAT the plan was already in play: “In order to achieve this goal, the Free And Compulsory Primary Education Program initially targeting grades1–6 was extended to grades 7 ‐ 9. This Means the first nine years of education which is now Basic Education is free and compulsory. School Grants have also been provided to cover tuition and other fees, distance to school gradually reduced through new schools construction; provided textbooks and supplementary learning materials. Gender Parity at the basic level is being improved as a result of the policy on girl’s education.  Furtherance to meeting the EFA Goal of universal basic education, private cost of education has reduced considerably at the basic education level.

SO WHY IS THE UN report saying something different? What have authorities at the MoE been doing to ensure that all young children benefit from this access to free education and why are so many still out of school and in the streets peddling?

THE GOAL of the Education for All initiative was to expand and improve comprehensive early childhood care and education, especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children while ensuring that by 2015 all children, particularly girls, children in difficult circumstances and those belonging to ethnic minorities, have access to, and complete, free and compulsory primary education of good quality.

TODAY, MUCH remains shortchanged. Communities lack schools and even those who are volunteering education projects lack incentives and government support to broaden the horizon of their projects.

THE BULK OF THE PROBLEM, according to the UN report boils down to funding. The report states that education remains one of the least funded sectors in humanitarian appeals. “For countries affected by conflict, school equips children with the knowledge and skills they need to rebuild their communities once the crisis is over,” UNICEF chief of education Jo Bourne said in the statement. “Schools can also protect children from the trauma and physical dangers around them.”

IN LIBERIA, in particular, many communities lack classroom routines to aid children psychologically after witnessing atrocities, as well as safeguarding them from abuse,

THE REPORT CITED LIBERIA which emerged from two civil wars in 2003, temporarily shut its schools to stop the spread of Ebola epidemic.

WHAT LIBERIA NEEDS now is a strong effort to mobilize communities into action. Government must direct resources to education projects undertaken by groups to communities in need since it is clear that government lacks the resources or know-how to reach every town and village.

MAKE NO MISTAKE this report is damning for a country where education is as messy as it gets.

FREE EDUCATION FOR ALL MUST not just be a rhetoric for big speeches and internationally-funded reports, but should serve as the cornerstone from which bridges to education can be built; from where children can be removed from lives of street-peddling to a place in the classrooms; from where Liberia can emerge out of the ashes of mess to a place where children can become normal again.

Monrovia – Nearly two third of Liberian children have never stepped in school and the country has the highest portion of children missing out on primary school education, the United Nations Child Agency (UNICEF) said on Thursday.

Most of the countries highlighted by UNICEF in its first global out-of-school ranking are in Sub Saharan Africa, with Liberia coming first in the ranking, followed jointly by South Sudan and Eritrea. In Liberia, 64 percent of children are out of school, while 59 percent of children in both South Sudan and Eritrea countries are out of school.

Last month UNICEF said a spike in the forced recruitment of child soldiers in South Sudan could be imminent amid fears the East African nation was on the brink of renewed civil war.

Liberia ended its war in 2003 with the help of UN peacekeepers. The UN has since June 30 turned over security responsibilities to Liberian security forces.

Although school is vital for children living in crises, education is one of the least funded sectors in humanitarian appeals, UNICEF said in a statement.

“For countries affected by conflict, school equips children with the knowledge and skills they need to rebuild their communities once the crisis is over,” UNICEF’s Chief of Education, Jo Bourne, said in the statement.

“Schools can also protect children from the trauma and physical dangers around them.”

Classroom routines can help children psychologically after witnessing atrocities, as well as safeguarding them from abuse, experts say.

A crisis fund was launched in May at the World Humanitarian Summit to increase funding for children missing out on school due to war and natural disasters.

The West African country of Liberia, which emerged from two civil wars in 2003, temporarily shut its schools to stop the spread of the Ebola epidemic, which ended in June.

The 18 million children in the 10 worst countries for access to primary school account for almost one third of the world’s 61 million primary school-aged children who are out of school, UNICEF said.

Here are the top 10 countries in the world with the highest proportion of children missing out on primary school:

1) Liberia – 62 percent
2) South Sudan – 59 percent
3) Eritrea – 59 percent
4) Afghanistan – 46 percent
5) Sudan – 45 percent
6) Djibouti – 43 percent
7) Equatorial Guinea – 42 percent
8) Niger – 38 percent
9) Mali – 36 percent
10) Nigeria – 34 percent

Monrovia – Liberia’s literacy rate among youth has been determined to be 63.5% according to UNICEF 2013 report. 

A 2008 World Bank/USAID assessment found that the “average correct words per minute in grades 2 and 3 was 15.5 and that 34% of 2-3 grade students in a representative sample could not read ONE word.”

Reading is a problem for our students and in order to change these narratives, collective efforts are needed.

To support efforts by various actors in the education sector in improving Liberia’s literacy rates, the Kids’ Educational Engagement Project (KEEP) recently launched a campaign to promote reading among young learners, particularly targeting students up to 6th grade called “I Can Read”.

The campaign involves working with school teachers, parents and the students in improving the reading fluency, comprehension and vocabulary building of the young learners.

The organization taps into volunteers who come in to read to the students during its – “Reading Hour” where a variety of books are read to the students and they are asked questions regarding their understanding of what was read to them, new words are recognized, explained and taught, and then a student from the group reads a short story to the others. Books written by Liberian authors with Liberian content play a major part of these reading sessions.

Key components of the reading campaign is to get parents to make time to read to and with their kids and to encourage parents to play a more active role in the education of their children and to get students in the culture of reading.

Speaking at the end of a reading session Mrs. Monique Cooper Liverpool said: “Reading opens up our minds to a world beyond what we see. Spending time in books and stories makes our children strong thinkers and active learners.”

The organization intends to continue this reading campaign and to get other schools involved as well.

To support the work the organization is doing in Gbarpolu county on the upgrading of a public school, the Royal Grand Hotel restaurant management has offered to donate 50% of all sales in the restaurant on July 23 & 24 towards that project.

Ms. Helen Eid Hariz who manages the restaurant of the hotel also volunteers her time to read to the students as well.

At the end of a reading session recently, Ms. Eid commended the initiative and noted that such community led efforts need to be supported and encouraged.

KEEP is a local non-profit organization operating at the grassroots level in 3 counties in Liberia (Grand Gedeh, Gbarpolu & Montserrado) and focuses on providing various support in the education sector, particularly at the primary school level.

KEEP also engages in women & girls’ empowerment, economic livelihood, access to justice, promotion of rights in schools, strengthening youth education through computer and reading literacy programs.

For more information on the organization, visit their website at www.keeplib.org or contact via email keepliberia@gmail.com or call 0886510731 –  If you would like to support their work.