The Analsyt (Monrovia)
23 April 2008
This week is the Global Action Week of the Global Campaign on Education around the world, and here in Liberia, the organization in charge has been setting the stage for the successful holding of programs earmarked.
Activities marking the observance of the Global Action Week (GAW) begin Wednesday, with a parade through the principal streets of Monrovia. The Liberia Education For All Technical Committee (LETCOM) is the organization overseeing the activities here in Liberia.
A statement issued by the organization highlighting activities earmarked says this year's GAW will take place from April 21 to the 27, 2008. It will be held under the theme: "Quality Education for All to End Exclusion in Liberia."
GAW is an education advocacy and campaign week. It is noted that during this week, various education advocacy and campaign programs and activities planned will be executed by national education advocacy coalitions worldwide.
The most highlighted event or activity for the week is "Politicians Back To School Day" Program which will be held on April 23, 2008 at 3:00 pm at the University of Liberia Auditorium. During this moment, politicians from all spheres of national body politic will be taught by a grade school student to highlight the significance of education. The statement says an easy educable thirty (30) minutes lesson will be taught by an elementary school female student during this program.
This is expected to take place across the globe in more than 100 countries where politicians and decision-makers will be going back to school and learn more about the importance of quality education for all.
The aim of the program is to make politicians and decision makers to actively advocate or campaign for sustained improvement in the quality of education for all at the various levels of state authority that they (politicians and decision makers) represent in the country.
"Globally, it is hoped that many people will participate in this program so that we make history on that day by having the largest simultaneous lesson in history.
Moreover, our attendance will indicate our commitment to the Provision of Quality Education in Liberia," the LETCOM statement under the signature of Program Coordinator Saa A. Blama and Chairman Randolphson Kollie says.
According to the statement, the lesson will also look at why it is important that everyone is able to get a good quality education. Other politicians and decision-makers in Ghana, Senegal, Nigeria, Brazil, The Gambia, Sierra Leone, and other nations will take part in their respective countries on the same day, April 23, 2008.
LETCOM established in 2005, is an independent Liberian NGO coalition to campaign, lobby, and advocate improvement in and increase access to public funded quality gender equitable education for all Liberians.
However, Liberia's report card released by the GCE shows that is not doing well in the area of providing quality education to all. According to the 2008 report card, Liberia ranks 25 over 100 and has the overall grade of D which is 140th position worldwide. Here in Africa, its position is 37th.
It is noted in the education report card that Liberia got D in the area of Achievement of Universal Basic Education, C in Political Will, F in Growth in Enrollments, F in Quality inputs, D in Equal Opportunities and D in Transparency and Accountability.
The conflict heritage has certainly weighed very heavily on Ellen's discouraging position in the global class. The fact that the highest percentage (almost 62%) of children never makes it through to the end of their primary class and the poor performance in primary enrollment are two particularly worrying issues," teacher's remark as far as Liberia's position is concerned noted.
With such show, analysts say the Ellen-led administration has to put its foot down on the issue of providing quality education to all Liberians. According to them, the free education initiative seems not to be working and urged the government to get proactive with this.
There are reports that the level of education in leeward counties is appalling because out of 10 children in a village, about 7 or less have no access to school.
More than this, there are reports that public and private schools are overcrowded, thus making students to either sit on the ground to take note or two students sit in one chair. These are some of the things LETCOM intends to highlight during this year's GAW.
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