-UNICEF Boss Promises To Highlight At Risk Kids, Adolescent Girls During Confab Deliberations
The Government of Liberia along with one of its partners, UNICEF is poised to convene a two-day educational conference with the objective of transforming the educational sector of Liberia that will address some of the bottlenecks and challenges the sector is faced with.
The two days conference kicks-off tomorrow, Tuesday, December 13 and ends Wednesday, December 14, 2022 in Montserrado County at the Ministerial Complex and is expected to be convened under the theme: "Transforming Education in Liberia: Addressing bottlenecks and challenges in the fulfillment of rights to education for all children in Liberia especially out-of-school children and adolescent girls".
It can be recorded that the 16,17 and 19 of September 2022, a Transforming Education Summit was convened at the 7th session of the UN General Assembly in response to the global crisis in education- one of equity and inclusion, quality and relevance with a view to transforming education between now and 2030.
As part of what was agreed on during the United Nations GA TES, is for countries to sow the seeds to transform education in a rapidly changing world to narrow down on issues that pose persistent challenges in the sector, some of which are underlying and recurrent.
Liberia, along with other Member States actively participated in the stakeholder consultation meetings with the objective of providing a unique opportunity to elevate education to the top of the global political agenda and to mobilize action, ambition, solidarity, and solutions to recover pandemic-related learning losses.
During that earlier meeting, Liberia arose with a bold statement of commitment to address head-on the issues that bemoan the education sector in Liberia.
It is in this direction that the government through the Ministry of Education wth her partner, UNICEF is making good its word by convening the national conference on education.
Liberia's Education Minister, Ansu Sonii said tomorrow's summit is a continuation of the government's commitment during the Transforming Education Summit (TES), and with full endorsement of the Senior Management Team of Ministry of Education.
Minister Sonii said they want to adopt the "not-business-as-usual" approach in addressing educational matters in Liberia.
The two days event is expected to bring together members from the Executive, Legislative (Joint Committee on Education), line Ministries, Ambassadors, donor agencies and development partners to include: USAID, World Bank, UNESCO etc.
Others expected are: the United Nations Country Team, Traditional Leaders, NPAL, NTAL, NPTA, CENTAL, Private Schools Secretariats, Private Providers and Students Representation (LINSU etc.).
Speaking earlier at the conference, UNICEF Representative to Liberia, Laila I Gad said the two days conference focuses on fulfilling the right to education.
According to her, the conference will analyze and identify key bottlenecks, gaps and recommendations for effective implementation and execution of relevant policy and plans.
Madam Gad passionately spoke about focusing on at risk children including adolescent girls.
When she was questioned about how kids accompany their disabled parents to seek for handouts or children who are drug users can be incorporated, the UNICEF boss said the conference will focus on those kinds of kids and how to have them as part of combined with other kids to get educated.
Also, tomorrow's conference will promote accountability, decentralization, creating demand, empowerment and engagement of key stakeholders in education provision, addressing the cumulative learning loss from past emergencies, improving foundational competencies, integration of 21st century skills and strengthening teachers' capacity and enhancing predictable education sector financing, strengthening local and external resource mobilization.
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It is also intended to strengthen mutual accountability, review effectiveness of participation structures, build strong partnerships through awareness and create a commitment to action by stakeholders and at the same time build consensus on potential, emerging innovations and best practices for the 21st century.
Expected results of the two days gathering 2022-2026/7 are to get a national agreements on the issues that limit educational progress in Liberia, practical and implementable solutions (short term-long term), roll-out of resolution, funding and modalities of accountability and aide memoire that clearly defines the high-level monitoring committee headed by the office of the Vice President.
