Monrovia, Liberia — UNICEF Liberia donates book bags to the Ministry of Education to boost enrollment.
- To support the Government of Liberia's Back to My Classroom campaign and ease the burden of struggling parents, UNICEF Liberia, through its Country Representative, Andy Brooks, has donated 5,000 back-to-school bags to the Ministry of Education to accelerate student enrollment.
The "Back to My Classroom" campaign seeks to increase school enrollment by identifying and addressing root causes of low attendance, such as poverty, cultural barriers, and lack of access to educational resources.
The UNICEF Liberia Country Representative made the donation over the weekend at the Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf Ministerial Complex, which is hosting the Ministry of Education in Congo Town.
Mr. Brooks highlights UNICEF's technical support, which assists the government in developing comprehensive strategies to reach out-of-school children, improve school infrastructure, and enhance teachers' training.
"As part of its commitment to ensuring quality education for every child, UNICEF is providing both technical assistance and essential educational supplies to support the campaign's objectives," he says.
The UNICEF boss further indicates that the UN body also provides school supplies to newly enrolled children to help alleviate financial burden on families and encourage continued attendance. "These supplies include school bags, notebooks, and other essential materials for a child's academic success."
He emphasized the institution's commitment to working with the Liberian government and partners to ensure that every child, regardless of their circumstances, has the opportunity to receive a quality education.
According to him, the 'Back to My Classroom' campaign is a vital step towards achieving this goal, and we are proud to partner with this important initiative.
"UNICEF's support for the "Back to My Classroom" campaign is part of its broader efforts to promote education for all children in Liberia. By providing technical assistance and essential resources, UNICEF is helping to create a more inclusive and equitable education system that benefits every child in the country," he added.
Mr. Brooks terms the non-attendance of over 50 percent of Liberian children in school due to many factors unacceptable, adding that this number needs urgent attention to safeguard the new generation.
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"I like the way this campaign is being broken down. Let's start in seven counties, let's get 15,000 children in school, let's cross to ten counties, let's build it up, and by the end of year three, let's aim for the sky and get 100 percent," he rallies.
Deputy Education Minister for Administration Nyekeh Y. Forkpa, receiving the donation on behalf of the government, lauds UNICEF for the gesture and promises that the items will certainly benefit the targeted students.
"This is not the first time UNICEF has supported the Liberian government-led initiative, and we, as a government, are very excited about this to get our children back to school," Minister Forkpa notes. He underscores that the campaign is a government initiative that UNICEF supports.
"The 'Back to My Classroom' campaign is a government-led initiative, and we're proud to have UNICEF as a committed partner. Together, we're working to create a future where every child in Liberia has the opportunity to reach their full potential," said Forkpa. Editing by Jonathan Browne
