Monrovia — Several Civil Society Organizations under the banner of Civil Society Activity (CSA) are calling on the government of Liberia to allocate a minimum of 20th percent from the national budget to the educational sector to improve the learning conditions across the country.
The group is comprised of UMOVEMENT; Institute for Research and Democratic Development (IREDD); Development Education Network (DEN_L); Institute for Democratic Action and Development (IDAD); Integrity Watch Liberia (IWL); Survivors AID International Liberia (SAIL); Institute for Policy Evaluation and Research (IPER) and Youth Coalition for Education in Liberia (YOCEL).
Speaking to journalists in Monrovia Tuesday February 13, 2024, the group said the state of education sector in Liberia stands at a pivotal juncture, where the potential for a brighter future for the youth is impeded by persistent challenges encompassing school supplies, teacher remuneration, educational infrastructure, early childhood education, and insufficient budgetary support.
Reading the statement, an executive of UMOVEMENT Siemon Wee said even though the Liberian government acknowledges the paramount importance of education, as enshrined in Article 6 of the 1986 Liberian Constitution guaranteeing equal access to educational opportunities and facilities for all citizens, substantive actions to address the escalating educational needs remain downplay by state actors.
The group stressed that despite the Government of Liberia, in alignment with its commitments under the Incheon Declaration of 2015 and the Dakar Framework of 2000, pledged to allocate a minimum of 20% of the national budget to the education sector the government of Liberia has steadily increase in the Liberian education sector budget in recent years from 12% in FY2023 to 16%.
"The government of Liberia has struggled to fulfill its obligations. We are advocating for a 20 percent increment in the Education Budget for FY 2024," Madam Wee said.
She stressed that augmenting the education budget from its current allocation of 14 percent to meet the international standard of 20 percent, as stipulated by the Global Partnership on Education (GPE) will not only align Liberia with global best practices but also unlocks the additional funding opportunities to bolster educational initiatives.
"Notably, neighboring countries of Liberia have surpassed this threshold, underscoring the imperative for Liberia to follow suit. In essence, advocating for an increase in the education budget to 20 percent aligns Liberia with international standards and unlocks additional funding avenues," she said.
Madam Wee continues: "Additionally, investing in monitoring mechanisms empowers education stakeholders to track progress and drive meaningful improvements in the educational landscape. By prioritizing these initiatives, Liberia can foster a conducive environment for educational excellence and empower its citizens to thrive in the global knowledge economy."
She added: "As stakeholders deeply invested in the education system, we recognize the pressing necessity for policies to tackle critical issues concerning school supplies, teacher remuneration, educational infrastructure, early childhood education, and bolstering budgetary support to local education offices. This narrative aims to offer a concise overview of these challenges and set the groundwork for advocating for effective solutions and heightened budgetary allocations."
Madam Wee also stressed that low budget to the educational sector gives rise to negative effects on student learning outcomes.
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She added: "It will hinder teacher-student engagement. Inconsistent and inadequate distribution of school supplies. Lack of transparency in procurement. Insufficient budget allocations for quality supplies and undermine the quality of education."
Madam Wee added that the issue of irregular payment of teacher salaries, inefficient payroll systems, lack of accurate teacher data are some of the major problems that hamper the educational sector.
She also urged the government to conduct an audit of teacher data and implement an efficient, transparent payroll system that will ensure regular and timely salary payments.
The group further stressed the need for an increasement in teacher benefits and professional development allocations.
Madam Wee also urged the government to implement what she termed as a centralized procurement system with transparency measures and establish efficient distribution channels across the country.
