18 November 2008
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has inspected and dedicated a number of newly renovated schools under the Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS).
The President's tour on Monday covered schools on Bushrod Island, including Marvi Sonii Elementary School, the Boatswain Elementary and Junior High School, the Emmanuel Johnson Junior High School and the D. Twe Memorial High School as well as the Logan Town Central Elementary School, where a newly constructed 10-classroom facility has been erected.
Speaking at the D. Twe Memorial High School during a program marking the official turning over of the newly renovated and furnished schools, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said her government will continue to welcome support from its development partners as government tackles the educational needs of the country.
The upgrading of school facilities to modern standards, an Executive Mansion release quotes the President as saying, is intended to help Liberian students acquire the competitive skills to compete at international academic levels.
The President urged Education Ministry authorities to work in ensuring that similar facilities are extended to other higher institutions of learning to help them also meet the challenges at the international level.
Moved by the performances of local artists and singing groups, the President praised Liberian talents which she described at a demonstration that Liberians are capable of doing things for themselves.
The President urged citizens to take charge of their destiny because no matter how much level of assistance that comes from partners, Liberians have a responsibility to 'do it ourselves
.'The President lauded Liberian contractors for their diligence, and honesty in carrying out their responsibilities. The schools were renovated by local Liberian contractors.
Meanwhile, the President has again warned that government will not hesitate to exercise its authority under the constitution to carry out development projects in the interest of the people.
The Liberian leader regretted that despite several attempts to secure land for the construction of a school in New Kru Town, the project has not begun, due to the inability of local authorities to secure land for the project.
Despite consultations and negotiations, the President observed, there has been no progress in securing the land for the school.
"We will have to take our children out of the makeshift structures; we have to find a school for them. And we will do so," the President emphasized, amid cheers by residents of the Borough of New Kru Town.
With support from American billionaire and philanthropist, George Soros, groundbreaking for the construction of a school in New Kru Town was held last year, but the project is yet to get started due to the apparent inability of borough authorities to secure land for the construction of the school.
"We have tried to constrain ourselves; but we have a responsibility under the constitution and we are prepared to exercise that authority," the President cautioned; an apparent reference to government's authority under the constitution to exercise eminent domain.
Under that authority, government can take private property for public use by virtue of its superior dominion of the sovereign power of all lands in the Republic under its jurisdiction.
The World Bank and Oxfam provided more than one-million USD in funding to renovate a number of schools on Bushrod Island under the Monrovia Consolidated School System.
The project, implemented by Oxfam in collaboration with its local partner, the Agency for Economic Development & Empowerment (AEDE), involved the renovation and furnishing of schools on Bushrod Island.
Under the program, 123 schools have received 8-thousand pieces of school furniture including blackboards and partitions to bring them up to standard with private institutions.
With the renovation now completed and turned over, D.Twe and Boatswain High schools, are now equipped with furnished libraries as well as science and computer labs for D. Twe. The renovated schools are also equipped with other modern facilities including reading rooms, canteens and toilets.
The President was accompanied on the tour of the newly renovated school facilities by officials of the Ministry of Education, headed by Minister Joseph Korto, AEDE Executive Director, Samuel Thompson; Oxfam and UNDP Executives, MCSS officials, and officials and representatives of the Borough of New Kru Town.
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