Monrovia — Students of the Hephz Foundation School brilliantly performed at an "Open House" academic event intended to demonstrate and showcase what they have been taught by their teachers and lecturers over the period of time, with a call for the elevation of the living standards of teachers and investment in Liberia's educational system.
The school, which is located in the 72nd Boulevard Community in Paynesville, is one of the best institutions of learning operating in the country. It runs preschool, kindergarten and elementary divisions.
The school is owned and operated by renowned Liberian educator Madam Nahdi Doe.
The "Open House" event took place on the premises of the school over the weekend.
The students from various classes showcased their knowledge in various curriculum activities and disciplines before their parents and others, while their teachers stood aside watching in astonishment.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with FrontPage Africa shortly after the event, Madam Doe disclosed that the school was established in 2007 to mold the minds and prepare students for the future.
She added that the move of formation was also intended to combat against the high rate of illiteracy in post-conflict Liberia.
She disclosed that the "Open House" academic event is significant to enable the students demonstrate what they have been taught in the classrooms before those who are sponsoring their educational sojourn.
Madam Doe noted that though the exercise appears new in Liberia, it is a regular phenomenon in other countries across the world.
"We have about 350 students this year; initially we had about 58 students. I love teaching; it has been my passion since childhood. I also love working with children. The open house is a time where students display whatever they have learned on campus. It is a regular thing for schools abroad even though it may be new to Liberia".
Madam Doe attributed the brilliance and excellence of the students in their studies to the decision taken by the administration and instructional staff to place more emphasis on teaching or ensuring that students are masters in language and reading.
"Hephz Foundation is a language base reading focus school. From as early as the kindergarten class, we train the children and give them a foundation to become good readers".
She stated that students enrolling and departing the school are capable of competing with their counterparts in and out of Liberia due to the extra curriculum activities, efforts and time being implored by their teachers.
As part of extra curriculum activities, she disclosed that Hephz Foundation is using books from America, Europe, and other African countries to mold the minds of the students and enable them to become knowledgeable on the culture and others of those countries.
Madam Doe added that music, dancing, the use of electronic tablets and computers for classroom activities are also prioritized at the institution
She said between two to three caregivers or teachers are placed in each class to efficiently and effectively provide classroom activities to the students.
Complete punishment
"The more you have teachers in the classrooms, it helps the students to concentrate and learn faster because, an individual can only care for a certain number of children. In most Liberian schools, you have 70 students in a class with one teacher. But at Hephz, we have a maximum of 25 for the elementary and we do not go above that. For the preschool, the maximum is 20. For the nursery classes, we do not go above that and we make sure that there is a caregiver and aid in a class"
Madam Doe termed as "a complete punishment" the constant habit of some school owners and administrators to promote over crowdedness in classrooms at their respective institutions.
She pointed out that her school is also in partnership with competent educational trainers to provide adequate training to teachers from other schools in Montserrado County.
Madam Doe, however, disclosed plans for the extension of the school across Montserrado, Grand Kru, Nimba and other areas in Liberia.
She encouraged parents and guardians not to panic in sending their children to the institution.
A school for all
She emphasized that despite the extra academic studies being provided at the school, Hephz remains an institution for children of both the elites, less fortunate or underprivileged.
Madam Doe maintained that she and others continue to strive to ensure that children of less fortunate Liberians are accorded the opportunity to acquire quality education.
"We started this school from the community and we have people here from all walks of life. We have parents here who can afford and we have others here, who are selling soap, peanuts and their children are here. We try to make sure that everybody can enroll and have the same facilities, methods like children of parents who can afford".
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Raising teachers' standards
She, however, stressed the need for the improvement of the standards of teachers across the country.
Madam Doe emphasized that if Liberian students are to be on par with others across the globe, investment in teachers and the educational system must be prioritized by not only government, but school owners and others.
"We do have problems with our educational system here and one of the ways we can help to curtail these problems is to work on our teachers-because the teachers are the ones that are doing the actual work. If we raise the standards in their lives and give them the actual picture of what it means to be a teacher, that will be so great and we will move and start from there".
She further called on humanitarians and others in and out of Liberia to see the need to provide additional support to the Hephz Foundation School in Liberia in a bid to fight against the high rate of illiteracy in the nation.
