A locally driven early childhood education initiative in Nimba County is drawing attention for its use of vernacular and play-based learning to help children develop language and cognitive skills before transitioning into formal schooling.
The Scaling Inclusive Home-Based Early Learning Initiative (SIHELI), implemented under the auspices of Nimba University, is currently being piloted in five communities across the county through a home-based "parlor school" model designed to support children who are unable to access traditional schools.
The initiative, believed to be the first of its kind in Liberia, focuses on teaching children in both their local dialects and English, using interactive play-based methods that encourage early communication and school readiness.
The program targets children who are not currently enrolled in school due to financial constraints, long distances to nearby schools, or overcrowding in existing public institutions.
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Parents in participating communities say the approach is already making a visible difference.
Cynthia Sendolo, a mother in Nengbein Community near Ganta, said the program has significantly improved how children communicate and express themselves.
"This program has made these children, who have not gone to school before, speak clearly and say ABC and also know how to express themselves clearly in the vernacular," she said.
According to community members, the introduction of the home-based learning centers has provided opportunities for children who previously had little or no access to early education.
Parents noted that public schools in the area often struggle to absorb the growing number of young learners. In addition, some families cannot afford the L$1,500 preschool fees, leaving many children without access to early learning opportunities.
Another resident, Nohn Goffa, described the program as an important educational alternative for children in the community.
"For a few months, we got to know that this home-based learning initiative is very important, it has made the kids exposed, they are very happy to be in school daily because of the learning activities."
"The public school is good, but this new learning style helps the kids to learn both in their dialect and also applies it in English, making it easy for them to grab the lesson," she added.
Community members say the program's success has already created demand for more spaces.
"We want this program here forever -- we need an increment in the number of students from 30, so it makes other kids enroll," said an elderly man in Nengbein.
Currently, 169 children are enrolled across the five participating communities: Nengbain, Dingamo, Zuluyee, Seykiyimpa, and Zolowee.
Although the program originally set a limit of 30 students per center, the growing enthusiasm among parents has pushed enrollment beyond that threshold in some communities.
The SIHELI initiative is a research-based project aimed at generating evidence on how inclusive, home-based early learning programs can improve school readiness and increase participation in early childhood education.
Beyond teaching children, the program also focuses on building the capacity of parents, teachers, and community members to support early learning through play-based pedagogies.
Unlike conventional public schools, the home-based centers rely on parent teachers--experienced traditional caregivers--who incorporate cultural values and local knowledge into the learning process while working alongside trained Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) teachers.
The program model seeks to ensure that children develop language skills, cultural awareness, and social values while preparing for the transition to formal schooling.
On February 26, 2026, a delegation from Liberia's Ministry of Education, led by Hon. Augustine Kullie, Acting Assistant Minister of Early Childhood Education and Director of ECE, visited the five communities where the parlor-school model is being implemented.
During the visit, the delegation interacted with parents, teachers, and students while reviewing the curriculum and instructional materials used in the centers. The team also conducted evaluations of pupils to assess the progress of the program.
Hon. Kullie expressed excitement about the initiative and said Liberia could explore ways of integrating the SIHELI model into the country's broader education policy framework.
The initiative is implemented through partnerships with Kyambogo University in Uganda and Associates for Change in Ghana, with support from Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Global Partnership for Education Knowledge and Innovation Exchange (GPE KIX).
Dr. Samuel Duo, Vice President for Academic Affairs at Nimba University, said the program also includes specialized training for teachers and parents to support children with special learning needs.
"In Liberia, the Nimba University SIHELI Research Team and ECCE Research Assistants held face-to-face meetings with Special Needs Education teachers and held a meeting in each of the five communities or Centers," Dr. Duo said.
"The meetings were organized to professionally prepare ECCE teachers and parents on how to effectively support children with special needs, as well as strengthening the capacity of the research assistants with the knowledge and skills necessary to provide regular support at the center level," he added.
According to Dr. Duo, the establishment of the learning centers involved extensive community engagement, including the signing of memoranda of understanding between homeowners, town chiefs, Nimba University administrators, and county education authorities.
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Student enrollment was also conducted on a gender-sensitive basis, maintaining an approximate 1:1 ratio between boys and girls.
To support the sustainability of the program, SIHELI also established Center Management Committees (CMC) in each community to assist parents with feeding programs and help prevent school dropout.
"The CMCs were trained in loan management and provided with US$3,000.00 with each center receiving US$600.00 or 120,000.00 LRD at the rate 200 LRD during the time of disbursement," Dr. Duo said. "Similar amount of money will be provided for the CMCs to be economically engaged in livelihood activities."
Additional project activities have included the rehabilitation of learning centers, construction of playgrounds, and the installation of bathroom facilities where needed.
The initiative has also supported academic collaboration by sponsoring two Nimba University researchers to participate in an international research and knowledge-sharing conference in Kampala, Uganda.
The SIHELI learning centers officially began operations on June 24, 2025, and have already completed their first academic semester for the 2025-2026 school year.
Education stakeholders say initiatives like SIHELI could help Liberia expand access to early childhood education while promoting inclusive and culturally relevant learning approaches.
If successfully scaled, the model could contribute to strengthening Liberia's broader goal of ensuring that no child is left without the opportunity to begin their educational journey.
