18 August 2009
An educational body under the banner Liberia Education Trust (LET) has disclosed that the institution has built about twenty-five schools in Liberia, and has also trained some 875 teachers who are teaching in scores of public and private schools in the country.
The founding of the Liberia Education Trust was inspired in 2005 by candidate for Liberia's [presidency, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and was officially launched in the country in August of 2006, with a mandate of building fifty schools in short-term training with 500 teachers and educators providing 5000 scholarships for girls and women in formal schools and learners in literacy programs.
After nearly three years of existence, LET is celebrating its anniversary. The Executive Director of the institution Dr. Evelyn Kandakai , and the institution board chairman Madam Cecelia Bull yesterday called a press conference to give the over all achievements of the institution among other happenings.
Dr. Kandakai who delivered the 3rd anniversary of LET statement, told journalists that the entity is repositioning itself for another year of work in Liberia's education sector, and it has found a place using implementing partners across mainly the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE), and others who have been able to distinguish themselves in a relatively short period of time by reaching every county in Liberia.
Dr. Kandakai told reporters that LET has worked with at least 40 implementing partners in its spheres of interest, and has built sustainable relations with them, which serve as impetus for the three years and has basically decided to continue to improve access to quality education for girls and women in post conflict Liberia.
Commenting on the goals of the entity, Dr. Kandakai said, the institution will work to finance access to education for every one especially girls and women, to improve professional and education training, supplement education facilities and materials and developing as well as strengthening local initiatives to support the institution.
Speaking on the achievements of the institution within the three years' period, the LET Executive Director indicated that LET has provided scholarships in primary schools, secondary, and tertiary levels , which have reaching to 4000 beneficiaries including 200 girls in the South east.
Dr. Kandakai noted that the entity's literacy program, which includes literacy plus skills, have covered 100 beneficiaries and with short tern program, the entity has also covered 875 beneficiaries and about 500 targeted. According to the former education minister, the entity with the assistance of its international partners has completed seven schools projects, and dedicated nine schools projects.
She also disclosed that the organization is undertaking six schools projects, two schools projects that are currently undergoing procurement process for the selection of contractors, and one clinic project totaling the amount of projects to 25 earmarked for phase one of the institution's targeted goals.
Also speaking at the conference was the entity board chairman, Cecelia Bull who praised president Sirleaf for her wisdom and vision for carving an institution that is immensely contributing to the growth and development of the country's educational system.
The entity survival over the years, Mrs. Bull said, is as a result of president Sirleaf's immense contributions to support the institution with specific reference made to the U.S Billionaire, George Soro who contributed one million United States dollars to the entity ,and many other partners, she said. She also revealed that since the lunch of the organization in 2006, it has received 2 million United States Dollars.
She disclosed that LET-LIBERIA will shortly launch a fundraising rally to support ongoing initiatives to the institution in the country for the building of more public schools, and the enhancement of education.
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