By Christopher Yarwoe in Buchanan, Liberia
More than 400 students in Grand Bassa County attending universities and high schools are at risk of not returning to school for academic 2018/2019, due to lack of money from County Social Development Fund (CSDF) to support them.
The Grand Bassa Education Foundation is also said to be owing eight months payment to three staffers in the tone of $4,000.00. The eight months run from January to August 2018. The three staff include: Office Manager, Office Assistant and Field Assistant.
According to a report from the Foundation, over 290 report cards have been seized due to arrears owed elementary, junior and senior high schools in the county.
Janjay Baikpeh, Grand Bassa County Superintendent
The report shows that the Foundation had a debt arrear of US$50,000.00. Of this amount, $22,000.00 was paid from October to December 2017 through the support of the county.
Mr. Amos Boeyou, the Foundation’s Office Manager says it currently owes the balance of $28,000.00 to high schools and universities.
“These are arrears we owed for now and we are now looking up to the county to give the balance of the money to keep the students in school,” he says.
“And currently, 422 students cannot go to school because we owed the various universities and high schools,” Mr.Boeyou adds.
The breakdown of the record puts the students from college to graduate school to 133 while from elementary to 12th grade is 289.
According to Mr. Boeyou, some of the junior and high schools the foundation owes include: the Quest Methodist Junior High School, Fetuah Junior High School, Gorblee High School, St. Joseph High School, W.P.L. Brumskine High School, Open Bible High School, and SDA High School among others.
He also says the number of universities and colleges the foundation owes is 16. They include: the United Methodist University, Cuttington University and Graduate School, African Methodist Episcopal University, African Methodist Episcopal Zion University, Adventist University of West Africa, Stella Maris Polytechnic, University of Liberia and Graduate School.
The colleges include: the Booker Washington Institute, Grand Bassa Community College, Monrovia Bible College, Smythe Institute of Management and Technology, Starz College of Science and Technology, LICOSESS Teacher Training College and St. Clements University College.
Senator Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence promised on August 9, 2018 to give $400,000 Liberian Dollars against the arrear owed, according to the Grand Bassa County Education Foundation Office Manager. The amount will be equal to $2,666.70 United States Dollars. If that amount is paid, the total balance the foundation will owe from junior high school to graduate school will be $25,333.30 United States Dollars.
He says the Senator also promised to give $500,000 Liberian Dollars to the foundation purposely for the students of the St. Joseph High School of the Liberian Agricultural Company (LAC).
Besides that, the Senator promised to donate 3,000 text books to the foundation to assist the students to do research and build their reading capacity, Mr. Boeyou said.
One of the reasons why the foundation was formed is to promote quality and sustainable education in Grand Bassa County by providing resource centers that will include library and internet services.
The Grand Bassa Education Foundation was founded in 2015 by the 53rd Legislative Caucus as a non – profit making and a charitable corporation during the Seventh County Development Council Sitting held on July 15, 2015 in Big Joe Town outside of Buchanan city.
It was established to provide educational opportunities for all deserving citizens of the county who cannot afford to send their children to school because of financial constraints.
The 53rd Legislative Caucus set up the board of the foundation in 2016/2017. The board comprises of five members. They are: Mr. Moses B.K. Saywaye – Chairman, Mr. George Gbabueh – Co Chairman, Mr. Philip Johnson – Secretary, Mr. William Teage – financial secretary and Mr. Theophilus Wah Bedell – member.
During the 2016 / 2017 county sitting, the county agreed on a resolution to give money to the Grand Bassa Education Foundation.
Mr. Uriah Bryant, PMC Comptroller, said that due to delay of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning to disburse CSDF fund, the county used the alternative source which is the scrap metal money to give $92,000.00 to the foundation in 2016.
“The fact that the CSDF money did not come, that was how the county used the alternative source since the scrap money was intended for education,” Mr. Bryant has stated.
“And to pass each resolution, five lawmakers have to sign with approval from the Ministry of Internal Affairs to use scrap metal money for CSDF projects,” according to the PMC Comptroller.
Funding CSDF projects with scrap metal funds is a violation of Article 3.5 of the MOU of the scrap metal program. Scrap metal funds can only be used to fund education and literacy projects proposed by the citizens in consultation with Arcelor Mittal.
Also in 2016, the Equatorial Palm Oil (EPO) Company gave $500 to the foundation as their support towards education in the county. The total amount the foundation received in 2016 was $92,500.00.
In 2017 / 2018, the county allotted $50,000.00 as financial support to the foundation. After September 1, 2017 county sitting, the county leadership gave $22,000.00 to the foundation from October to December 2017. Bryant said that $10,000.00 of that amount came from the scrap account while the balance of $12,000.00 came from the CSDF fund.
Currently, the foundation is looking up to the county leadership to provide the balance of the $28,000.00 to clear the arrears owed to the high schools and universities.
“As you made be aware, the scrap account is very low. So owing to the fact that the account is low obviously nowhere to turn again until we can have CSDF flowing. That is something that affects the whole county as a whole,” the PMC Comptroller said.
The Office Manager has said when the arrears owed are paid; the students will be allowed to enroll for the academic 2018/2019 school year. But, the county leadership is yet to provide the balance money to the foundation to clear the arrears.
Mr. Boeyou said that the foundation is continuing to dialogue with the county leadership for the money to settle the arrears owed to the high schools and universities.
According to the PMC Comptroller, they are looking up to the national government because the CSDF is in consolidated account and since May 2018, they have been in conversation with the MFDP but nothing has been done about the money.
“We have to wait and see and people have to be patient. Mostly, parents who have funding and able to pay can go ahead to pay their children fees, the Comptroller advised. But to depend on the county wholly and solely will be difficult because of the constraint that Liberia is facing.”
“So, parents need to start looking at paying their children fees,” Mr. Bryant stated.
Before the foundation came into being, the county leadership supported the Grand Bassa University Students Union (GBUSU) from 2008 to 2014 through the county social development fund and scrap metal money.
The scrap metal program was created in 2013 when Arcelor Mittal entered an MOU with the county to fund education and literacy projects with money from the sale of the discarded structures and equipment in the concession area.
But, county officials have used the scrap metal money which goes directly to the county to support CSDF projects when MFDP delays in disbursing CSDF money.
The PMC Comptroller said the scrap account has been an alternative source for the county which they have been depending on to take money from through resolution signed by lawmakers is very low so there is nowhere for them to turn again.
Scrap metal funds can only be used to fund education and literacy projects proposed by the citizens in consultation with Arcelor Mittal, according to the scrap MOU document signed between the county and Arcelor Mittal Liberia.
In 2015/2016, the county leadership gave $100,000.00 as financial aid to GBUSU to pay scholarship arrears to various universities in the country. The financial aid was one of the resolutions agreed upon by the citizens from the 2015/2016 county siting.
But, due to delay from the MFDP to disburse CSDF money to the county, the PMC Comptroller said, the caucus signed a resolution to give the $100,000 to GBUSU from the scrap metal money.
Scrap metal funds can only be used to fund education and literacy projects proposed by the citizens in consultation with Arcelor Mittal.
He, however, assured the citizens that the scrap account will be replenished when the county gets CSDF money.
Currently, the Office Manager said GBUSU owes $187,586.00 as arrears to various universities in Liberia. He said that in the same 2017 / 2018 county sitting, $37,500.00 was allotted to GBUSU for arrears it owes for scholarships.
He mentioned that when the county gets CSDF funds, the education foundation will manage the money to pay against the arrears GBUSU owes to these various universities.
“The GBUSU scholarship program has only been benefiting university students,” Amos stated. “The 53rd legislative caucus stops supporting GBUSU because they could not account for money received from the county social development fund”.
Responding to the foundation comments, GBUSU President Luther B. Tarpeh said his organization has never received money from the county directly into their accounts.
Luther said GBUSU has only been serving as liaison by submitting names of students attending various universities and colleges to the county authority.
“Anyone who tells you that GBUSU received money directly from the county authority is not true,” the president stated. “When the names are submitted, the county herself will use the listing from the various universities and colleges to write those checks to them,” he added.
He said over 200 students of GBUSU have benefited from the county support from 2008 to 2016.
The President said the $187,586.00 the foundation claimed that they owed various universities and colleges is not true. “This is a make-up information, not substantial and far from the reality,” Luther said.
He said GBUSU owes 11 universities and colleges. According to him, the actual amount owed through the county authority is in the tone of $146,000.00.
The institutions include: African Methodist Episcopal University, Cuttington University, United Methodist University, University of Liberia, African Methodist Episcopal Zion University and Adventist University of West Africa.
Others are: Starz College, Monrovia Bible College, Stella Maris Polytechnic, St. Clements University College and Smythe Institute of Management and Technology.
He said GBUSU recently admitted the Blue Crest University in their institution.
When contacted, to ascertain facts, the Accountant at the County Administration L. Dakanah Mitchell said, the county doesn’t pay money to GBUSU. According to Dakanah, they do the payment to the various universities and colleges when the listing of students is submitted to them.
According to review of the documents, the foundation received 1,092 applications in 2016 / 2017 school year. 469 applicants were qualified after the vetting process while 623 applicants were disqualified.
“Students who are selected for the scholarship must be residents and citizens of Grand Bassa County,” the document stated. They must be able to score the average of 85% or above for grade schools, provide copies of diploma and WAEC certificate, grade point of 3.00 GPA and above for college, universities and graduate schools”.
For 2017 / 2018 academic year, 23 students graduated with the support of the foundation. 13 of the 23 students graduated from the community college and universities. They include one Master, five Associate Degrees and seven Bachelor of Science students. The rest of the 10 students graduated from high schools in Grand Bassa County.
In the view of Representative Vicent Willie of Electoral District Four in Grand Bassa County (Independent), he said, he is not in support of the establishment of the Grand Bassa Education Foundation.
According to Hon. Willie, he is against the establishment of the foundation because students of the county attending colleges and universities in the country are not feeling the impact.
The Lawmaker told citizens at the Harlandsville Interactive Forum in Buchanan in July 2018 that the 54th Legislative Caucus of the county needs to revisit the establishment of the Grand Bassa Education Foundation.
“We will reinvent the wheel and thank God we have the numbers to reinvent the wheel. We will relook at the scholarship foundation and I am clear on this; I am not in support of it. We are not coming to give elementary scholarship here. We will look for the best brains among the students and award them scholarship. Trust me; I am not in favor of that. Let’s keep the money for college and keep it for the best students in college,” Representative Willie told the citizens at the forum.
Amos Boeyou expressed fear that if the caucus revisit the education foundation and decides to change the idea, the foundation will collapse in the county. He is calling on Representative Willie to rethink his decision and work together to support the foundation.
“My fear is that these children who do not have any means of going to school because they have the numbers and they going to revisit, if the caucus revisit and the new members number supersede the old members, it means the foundation is going to collapse,” Mr. Boeyou stated.
Sharry Nyumah, president of the Bassa Technical Students in Margibi County studying general electronics at the Booker Washington Institute (BWI), is a beneficiary of the foundation scholarship program.
In 2015, Sharry said, the scholarship provided opportunity for nine students to leave from Grand Bassa County to attend the BWI regular and accelerated program.
“For the past two semesters, our fees have not been paid so we appealing to the lawmaker to work with the foundation but not to politicize the institution,” student Sharry said. “We are saying, the foundation dream must not die”.
- Jones Massaquoi, of Corn Farm community in Buchanan said that the foundation should not rely on the politicians for support but should undertake initiatives that would make it to be sustained.
Fund raising and sustainability
From March to April 2018, the foundation organized quizzing, kickball and football tournaments for elementary, junior and high schools in Buchanan.
According to the report, six high schools, ten junior schools and one elementary school took part in the quizzing and sporting tournament. The high schools include: Bassa High School, Seventh Day Adventist High School, Ocean View (Pillar of Fire) High School, St. Peter High School, Open Bible High School and Liberia Christian high School.
The junior high schools were: New Testament, Drims, Kpanay, Buchanan Welseyan, World Wide, Own Your Own, Al – Nasru, Hope Academy, Grace Academy and J.C. Early.
The only elementary school that took part in the quizzing was the Benson River Public School.
The schools that emerged victorious were St. Peter, Al – Nasru and Benson River. Each of the school received text books and certificate from the foundation.
The foundation document states that one of its objectives is to organize fund raising events or activities in coordination and collaboration with the county authority and the legislative caucus.
Amos said that $88,000.00 Liberian Dollars was generated from the fund raising activities. He said the money is being kept at the foundation account at LBDI local bank in Buchanan while they are mobilizing resources to clear their arrears owed to high schools, various universities and colleges.
Commenting on the concern of the citizens on sustainability, Mr. Amos Boeyou said, they have gone 75 percent in preparing an agriculture business proposal to submit to the county legislative caucus. He said the proposal is in three categories. They include: short, medium and long terms for the sustainability of the foundation.
For the short term, he said, the foundation is about to engage in vegetable production. According to him, proceed from it will help to buttress the effort of the foundation.
He added that the foundation will invest in cassava, eddoes and fish pond for the medium term program.
As for the long term, he said, the foundation is planning to engage in rubber and palm farms in districts four and five in the county.
“What we want now from the citizens is to own our own land to start the agriculture program. Funding from these projects will assist the foundation and it won’t solely rely on the county for support,” the Office Manager stated.
Also speaking, Edwin S.J. Mcgill, a resident of Buchanan said that the foundation is necessary and appropriate for the county. Mcgill said that the foundation is a grass root organization to help needed students so the county needs to support it while GBUSU should independently handle their own affairs because it is university based organization.
According to the foundation document, one of the objectives while it was formed is to operate solely as a charitable organization for the purpose of providing educational opportunities for all deserving citizens of Grand Bassa County.
Samuel Wilson, Program Officer of the Grass Roots Agency for Social Services (GRASS), wants the government to implement the recommendations in the GAC report.
The General Auditing Commission (GAC) report covering June 2014-July 30, 2016 found that the county misused funds from the scrap metal program.
Mr. Wilson who is also the advisor to the CSOs said that the intended purpose of the money was never achieved which is a serious disappointment for the civil society organizations in the county.
“The entire account has been depleted and there is no standard public library, laboratory and internet facility in the county,” Mr. Wilson lamented. “Those facilities would have helped students to perform well in school.”
The central government needs to fast track the disbursement of CSDF funds to Grand Bassa County so that the students can be able to go to school for this 2018/2019 school year,” Mr. Wilson concluded.