With funding from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (NMFA), NRC has been supporting the Government of Liberia’s efforts to meet the education needs in the country since 2003; prioritizing internally displaced people (IDP) and returnees.
After six years of NRC as the major elementary education provider in 125 communities in Bomi, Gbarpolu and Grand Cape Mount Counties in the Northwestern Region of Liberia, and after supporting the setting up of solid foundations for sustainable education structures in these communities, NRC is now phasing out of the Accelerated Learning Program (ALP). Handing over ALP school structures and trained, experienced and qualified teachers to the government is one of the rudiments in the handover package and part of the process of the joint Ministry of Education-NRC Memorandum of Understanding.
By June 2010, the NRC/ALP Project had 198 trained and experienced teachers of which 141 lacked the “C” Certificate. NRC thus encouraged these 141 teachers to register for and attend the teacher training accredited by the GoL/MoE.
The final 4-week residential standards-based “C” Certificate training for NRC’s teachers that was completed on July 18, 2010 was implemented by a specialized local NGO, LEAD and financed by the NRC’s Accelerated Learning Program.
Boakai Zinnah, Head Teacher of NRC-Tubmanburg ALP School, is one of the graduating teachers. Boakai is enormously happy for his new qualification. “Although NRC had been giving us financial incentives throughout the years we worked, the best thing I got was the “C” Certificate qualification.” Baokai also talked proudly about the inspiration he acquired on the day of his graduation;“One thing that impressed me most was the encouragement from the Norwegian Ambassador”.
The Norwegian Ambassador for West Africa, H.E. Merete Lundemo, graced the occasion. In her remarks, she highlighted the role of the graduates in the consolidation of peace, stability and development in Liberia.
“Do you know what constitute the biggest asset and the biggest capital of Norway?” she asked the graduates, “It is not oil, mineral, etc … It is the level of education of its people”. She then pointed out that it is that capital (level of education) that the graduating teachers will give to the new generation of Liberians. Like all the other speakers, Merete Lundemo, implores the graduates to be an inspiration for the new generation in Liberia.
Honorable Musu Dixon-Badio, Assistant Minister for Teacher Education, Accreditation and Certification conducted the inauguration and led the professional oath.
“The Bureau of Teacher Education is grateful to you (NRC) for partnering with MoE to address the formidable challenges which are the keys and benchmarks to achieving the poverty reduction strategy in the education sector” she reiterated.
She then thanked and congratulated LEAD for successfully implementing the training program. “The Bureau for Teacher Education will continue to support your efforts to train more teachers in order to improve quality education in Liberia” she assured LEAD.
(The article has been shortened by the Embassy)