The Ministry of Education has received brand new Land Cruiser Toyota Jeeps
from the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), aimed at accelerating Liberia’s
postwar educational program.
UNCEF’s Representative Angela Kearney, making the donation recently
at the Anna F. Whisnant Elementary School at the Barclay Training Center,
reiterated her organization’s unwavering commitment to supporting
Liberia’s educational needs at every available level.
She said UNICEF donated the two jeeps to the ministry for one to be used
for Teacher Training Program, while the other will be used for Accelerated
Learning Program to enable Liberian children learn during the postwar era.
The UNICEF Representative noted that the gesture also intends to facilitate
the travel of authorities at the ministry throughout the length and breadth
of the country, thereby decentralizing their functions nationwide.
She recalled that UNICEF has been and will continue to be instrumental in
providing training opportunities for teachers as it has done over the years
of which 95 public schools are said to have benefited, while thousands of
war-wearied children including former combatants have been encouraged to
go back to school.
She emphasized that for 2005, UNICEF will embark on girls’ enrollment
in school in order to minimize the high rate of female illiteracy rate in
the country.
For his part, Assistant Minister for Teacher Training, Joe Jarwleh, who
spoke on behalf Minister Evelyn Kandakai, commended UNICEF for its sustained
support to Liberia’s educational struggle during the postwar era.
Mr. Jarwleh lauded UNICEF’s continued meaningful contributions which
he believes are geared toward enhancing quality education for Liberian children.
He promised that the vehicles will be used for their separate intended purposes.