Monrovia — Liberia's Education Minister Dr. Jarso Jallah has admitted to a criminal syndicate in various public schools across the country involving Administrators charging exorbitant extra fees, thereby imposing additional financial burdens on parents, many of whom are already impoverished.
According to her, most public schools across the country were not charging the appropriate fees in keeping with the tuition free policy of the Liberian government.
She made these comments when she appeared before the Plenary of the Liberian Senate at the Capitol Building in Monrovia on Tuesday, July 2, 2024 following the climax of her tour across the country.
Plenary is the highest decision-making body of the Senate.
Minister Jallah pointed out that in some schools; those extra fees were assessed and approved by both the school administrations and the Parent Teachers Associations (PTAs), while other public-school administrators arbitrarily imposed it on the students and their parents.
She said inquiries were made by authorities of the MOE during the tour to determine how these additional fees were assessed and endorsed by these public schools, contrary to the free tuition policy of the government.
"Regarding the public school's non-compliance-upon my county tour assessment, there were findings regarding schools not charging the appropriate fees. There were findings that indicated additional fees to what were stipulated in the academic calendar. In the instance where school administrations assess arbitrary fees without consulting the PTAs, that school administrator was suspended immediately because that was in violation of MOE policies."
Minister Jallah furthered that additional fees were levied and endorsed by parents who couldn't even afford in the various operational communities of these public schools.
She noted that these extra fees were about three times more than what should be assessed or accepted at these public schools.
No records
"Sometimes L$6,000 to L$7,000 fees were charged for students to pay. We were able to document on the registration listing and the amount of the academic calendar indicates that the extra fees being charged were not captured in the registrar's records."
This, Minister Jallah stated, clearly shows that there were no accurate records on extra fees being charged by administrators at various public schools in the country.
She stressed that public school authorities across the country who are involved in the act failed to account for the extra fees that were being charged to students that are enrolled there.
She said these administrators failed to use the extra fees collected to renovate public school facilities or ensure the compensation of volunteer teachers that are there.
Minister Jallah pointed out that as part of efforts to curtail the situation; the Ministry of Education has commenced preliminary conversation with the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) to formulate a payment mechanism scheme so that fees being collected at various public schools are paid directly into an account that would be associated with the ministry.
Recruitment/placement of volunteer teachers
She said from the support and additional funding received in the current national budget for Fiscal Year 2024, the ministry assessed voluntary teachers for their placement on the government's payroll.
She noted that the assessment will ensure the listing of all voluntary teachers across the country by gender and subjects.
Following the completion of the listing, Minister Jallah disclosed that a vetting process will be carried out.
She stated that both good and bad voluntary teachers were assessed in the classrooms during her recent nationwide tour and as such, the vetting process will unearth the readiness and training of these teachers to be absorbed in the system
"During the tour, I sat in the classrooms and observed instructions. Some teachers could not pronounce vocabulary on the boards. They were teaching our students the wrong things."
Minister Jallah added that in some public-school classrooms across the country, students couldn't even display their notebooks or lessons.
She said some voluntary teachers are challenged and as such, they must be assessed before their placement in the classrooms or included on the payroll of the government, through the ministry.
She disclosed that the assessment of voluntary teachers will commence on July 8 and end July 31.
Minister Jallah pointed out that the recruitment and training of 2,000 voluntary teachers will commence from August 1 to August 31.
According to her, the ministry will work with the Civil Service Agency (CSA) to place about 970 voluntary teachers on the payroll of the government.
She disclosed that these voluntary teachers, including administrators, would be paid based upon their credentials.
Evaluation and schools strengthening
Minister Jallah pointed out that the department of planning at the Ministry of Education has conducted a review of the national school assessment tour of the ministry.
She said the review which has already climaxed placed keen emphasis on monitoring and supervision of public schools across the country.
She indicated that the just ended process would assess the performance, infrastructures and sustainability of public schools.
Minister Jallah stressed the need for the strengthening of the monitoring and supervision division at the ministry to be able to deliver and meet the expectations of stakeholders in the educational sector.
She noted that in some counties, including Nimba, only one monitoring and evaluation officer is stationed there.
She observed that some of these officers do not have the capacity to adequately monitor and supervise the sector.
"In addition to that, you have a District Education Officer (DEO) who has about 30 schools under his or her supervision. That DEO is not adequately supported to do the school, district or county level monitoring or supervision that is required for system strengthening."
Regional hubs
Minister Jallah disclosed that the ministry intends to establish regional hubs in line with studies conducted with neighboring countries.
According to her, a study tour would be conducted in the West African region to enable authorities at the ministry learn how the commission of their inspectorates helped in monitoring and supervising the educational sectors in their respective countries.
She added that the aim is to ensure that Liberia establishes three regional hubs incorporating Monitoring and Evaluation and Inspectorate officers to carry out their specific functions.
Minister Jallah noted that about five officers will be trained and placed at each regional hub between August 1-December 31 this year, with six months' salaries already secured.
Monrovia- The Liberia Special Economic Zone Activities is expected to benefit from a 25 euro support fund from the European Union, as the sector gears up towards transformation, global trade boost, and fostering economic industrialization.
The disclosure was made by the European Union's head of political and economic government cooperation, Dr. Anna Brzozowska at the Liberia Special Economic Zone Authority Stakeholders Engagement, which also seeks to partner with key stakeholders to increase job creation for citizens.
Making the disclosure on Tuesday, July 2, Dr. Brzozowska said Liberia is a peaceful country to attract investment and there a great opportunity for a new development plan.
According to her, the EU has a similar objective to economic governance and the creation of jobs as well as economic growth for Liberia and will help Liberia attract investors.
Dr. Brzozowska told stakeholders at the engagement that the EU remains committed to helping Liberia protect its natural environment.
She said as part of the EU efforts to promote education, it is supporting TVET education in agriculture and is also helping improve the lives of women and at-risk youths to contribute to economic growth.
She is also concerned with helping to improve the business climate and create value addition to the fishery.
Dr. Brzozowska then assured the European Union commitment to providing 25 Million euros to support the Liberia Special Economic Zone Activities.
In 2017, specializing in the need to accelerate our economic trajectory, the Government of Liberia established the Liberia Special Economic Zones Authority by an Act of Legislation.
Making special remarks, the Liberia Special Economic Zones Authority Executive Chairman, Prince A. Wreh more than the authority mandate as enshrined in the Act "Section 7; which Mandate, Administrative Powers and Duties", sets the basis for the LSEZA forward match to transform Liberia into an engine of global trade and to foster economic growth and industrialization.
"Reflecting on President William R. Tolbert Jr.'s vision for economic diversification and regional integration, we draw inspiration from his advocacy and institution of a Free Zone initiated in 1975, to which we have and what remains as the Monrovia Free Zone. His foresight in promoting policies that attracted foreign investment, infrastructure development, and regional trade integration remains relevant today," Mr. Wreh said.
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As such, he said it was important to continue building upon Sais legacy, positioning Liberia as a competitive hub for commerce in West Africa, and that the emergence of Special Expnoc Zones (SEZ) underpinning efforts are
comprehensive SEZ regulations that delineate the rights and responsibilities of licensees, developers, and operators.
These regulations, he noted, incorporate a special tax and incentive regime, aimed at bolstering investor confidence and spurring economic activities.
Therefore, Wreh emphasized the need to recognize with distinction partners that in their wisdom, recognized the need to support LSEZA formation; United States Agency for International Development, African Development Bank, World Bank, International Finance Corporation, and others.
Wreh averred that as the authority set forth, collaboration across overwet entities such as the Ministry of Commer and Industry, National Investment Commission, Liberia Revenue Authority, and Liberia Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization among others, there is a need to work toward attracting investment to support President Joseph Nyumah Boakai ARREST development agenda.
"Together, we aim to improve economic indicators and enhance the quality of life for all Liberians through inclusive growth and sustainable development," Wreh added.
For his part, Labor Minister, Cooper Kruah, noted that the Liberia Special Economic Zone Authority (LSEZA) is important for Liberia and what needs to be done to improve the economy.
He urged the LSEZA to reach out to more partners and to share more information with the public on the activities of the Economic Free Zone.
Minister Kruah, however, said the free zone authority has been dormant for a long time and there was a need to reactivate it.
At the same time, Joe-Hoover Gbadyu, deputy office director for Agriculture, Food Security, and Private Development confirmed USAID support for the establishment of the authority and has been working to ensure that the authority is established which is a dream come true.
Gbadyu urged actors to support activities of the Liberia Special Economic Zones Authority and to ensure that its mandate is implemented to the fullest.
