PHOTO: No arm chairs, students have to use their laps to write notes in class
By King Brown, sarwahking@gmail.com
BUCHANAN, Liberia- In his Annual Message to the National Legislature this year, President George Manneh Weah boasted that his CDC government had allotted huge amount in the budget to make thousands of armchairs for public school students across Liberia, but the reality on the ground in Grand Bassa County shows the opposite.
Here in the capital in one school for example, more than one hundred school pupils at the Suwetha Memorial Public school in upper Big Joe Town outside Buchanan are using their laps as desks to write notes in class, due to the lack of armchairs.
This www.newspublictrust.com Reporter, who visited the school on Tuesday, October 25, 2022, saw students even sitting on the bare floor to write notes, while others were seen sitting in chairs without arms using their lap to press their books and copy lessons.
The Suwetha Memorial Public school is the only government elementary school in this southern city. It was built in 2018 as one of ArcelorMittal quick impact projects in Grand Bassa County intended to provide education to over hundreds of children mostly in rural places.
It was gathered from students ranging from kindergarten to grade six, that this government school desperately lack chairs, let alone armchair, in addition to a serious lack of instructional materials to effectively operate, something that makes the learning environment unconducive for students as well as teachers.
Speaking to this news outlet about the deplorable condition of the institution, the school’s Registrar, Eric David said the lack of seats is a major challenge at the public school.
And he noted that this situation has been going on for the past six years.
Mr. Davis said students can barely write their notes correctly as a result of the lack of an armed chair and desk to help them relax and learn under a better atmosphere.
President Weah and his CDC government came to power in January 2018 on the mantra, “change for hope” with a promise to improve the education system.
Mr. David, who has been serving as Registrar at the school for over six years, mentioned that they have engaged authorities of the Ministry of Education about the constraints students are facing at the school, but nothing has so far been done to address the problems.
According to him, he is now appealing to NGO and well-meaning individuals to come to their aid and provide armed chairs and desks for the students.
This public school official furthered said that each student is paying $1,000 Liberian dollars as registration fees yearly to the Ministry of Education and it is sad to see a school that is generating revenue for the government to be treated in such a form and manner without any intervention made to address these challenges.
Other public schools face similar plight
But when contacted, the Education Officer of Grand Bassa County, Nathaniel Cisco admitted that it’s true the kids need additional chairs, but the lack of chairs is not only unique to Suwetha Memorial Public school.
Mr. Cisco said there are over 300 and six schools across Grand Bassa County and up to 86% of those schools do not have armed chairs or desks. He named Kpandy High, Bassa High, Benson River, Lower-Harlandsville and among other schools are challenge with sitting capacities.
CEO Nathaniel Cisco
According to the Education Officer, about 25 pieces of armchairs were donated to the Suwetha Memorial Public school about five months ago and that he is still lobbying with the Ministry of Education to ensure that additional chairs are donated to those schools.
The Grand Bassa County Education Officer added: “My office should be applauded. The Suwetha Memorial Public school was partially closed down. The kids were not going to that school anymore on grounds the parents were not cooperating with teachers. We managed to engage the PTA, students’ populace and teachers and today there are over hundred students enrolled at the school.”
He also said, “We are fully aware that there are huge challenges at the school but no money to buy chairs and desks now. The government is challenged, even with no desk and chairs for teachers as well.”
This semester, public schools’ administrators have placed in their information sheet $500 Liberian dollars as project fees. They said every student will be mandated to pay the money and it will go towards purchasing chairs and desks for the school.
Some of the challenges public primary and secondary schools are faced with in Liberia include poor learning environment, economic issues, poor or little nutrition for children, social culture, inadequate number of trained teachers and others.