Deplorable public school in Tappita, Nimba County appeals for support from government.
Nimba, Liberia, May 16, 2024--Doeyelay Public School in Tappita, Electoral District#6, Lower Nimba County, is struggling to provide quality education to community youth due to a lack of funds from the national government.
The government's support for the school was cut off without explanation in 2023, and promises made by the district representative, Dorwohn Twain Gleekia, have not been fulfilled. The situation has become so dire that teachers must engage in farm work to sustain themselves, leaving the students with inadequate education.
The institution's Acting administrator, Mr. J. Anthony Weyeah, who is the only person on the government payroll, informed The NEW DAWN that the situation at the school has reached a critical point where students are forced to sit on the ground during regular classes and that it is a constant struggle to provide a conducive learning environment for them.
Mr. Weyeah says the school, established in 1966 to provide junior high education for regional students, has faced dire circumstances since the Sirleaf administration, but things worsened significantly under the Weah administration when support was cut off.
However, he states that during the peak of the 2023 campaigns, district representative Dorwohn Twain Gleekia gave LD$20,000 and promised to refurbish the school if elected. But since his election, the lawmaker has failed to fulfill those promises.
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"If the funds were allocated to me, you would witness better preparation. We have to leave class to engage in farm work to sustain ourselves. Look around, we're barely managing, and it's not working at all," he emphasized.
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However, during a visit to this part of the county, Mr. Weyeah led the NEW DAWN on a guided tour of the school building, highlighting students' significant challenges, such as sitting on makeshift wooden planks and bricks during regular class sessions.
"This dire situation has forced students to sit on the ground due to our inability to afford benches for the classroom", he noted and added that these challenges are hindering their ability to teach or carryout their operation in the region effectively,
To sum up, Mr. Weyeah explained that, as a result, there are only four instructors: one female and three males teaching the entire school. He details that out of this number, only one of the teachers is currently on the government payroll, which is him, the Principal.
He says most of them have been teaching the school on a voluntary basis since 2008. They have been calling on the Ministry of Education to include these instructors on the payroll, but the call has been unheeded.
However, to address the issue, the Acting Principal is appealing to the new Minister of Education under the Boakai administration to reinstate their support by including them in the national budget. He wants the government to formalize their employment status by placing them on the Ministry of Education's payroll to enable them to effectively carry out their duties after years of voluntary service. Editing by Jonathan Browne
