-As Assistant Edu Minister blames low budgetary allotment for problems in the Education system
By Mafanta Kromah-mafanta.kromah@gmail.com
A civil society group advocating for increase in Liberia’s education budget, the “More-4-Education” is calling for budgetary allotment for the education to be increased to a minimum six percent of the country GDP or 20 percent of the national budget by 2020.
The group is also seeking to ensure the implementation of the Liberia Education Reform Act of 2011.
The Act calls for the provision of quality education to all citizens without discrimination.
Assistant Education Minister for Research and Planning, Dominic D. N. Kweme speaking at the More-4-Education Film Festival earlier this week noted that the decrease in the Ministry of Education’s annual allotment is due to the drop in the level of the budget envelop.
According to Mr. Kweme, the twenty percent increment is something they at the ministry want, the lawmakers, the president and international want.
He said it is something they all want, but the problem is the amount in the national budget that is low and cannot provide every sector what they all deserve to carry out their work smoothly.
The Assistant Education Minister noted that the President said, when the young people are empower, it gives them the power to contribute to the development of the country.
However, he stated that the Education Ministry has on it list 5,436 schools across the country and of that number, 2,612 are public schools. But out of the 2,612 public school only 64 is built with concrete and the 1921 schools are either build with mud block or mat.
The MOE received US$ 84,317,488 out of the US$570 million passed by the House of Representative for the Fiscal Budget year 2018-2017, which is equivalent to fifteen percent of the total budget.
The film festival produced short video documentaries on investing in girls education, equipping teachers for a better Liberia, education sector and strengthening parent teacher partnership. These films provided insights that aim to promote education and also provided reason for the increment in MOE allotment.
“This film will not only help tell the story of the young people, but also inform policymakers about the issues face by our country and the young people, we support this cause,” said Assistant Minister Kweme.
“There is a need for budget increment for a conducive environment for all students.”
At the same time, the Education Specialist at USAID Liberia, Mardea Nyumah noted that the films reflect the realities of the situations obtaining in Liberia and many other parts of the world.
According to her, the films will make Liberians understand the need to do more to increase the influence of citizens and the media in the governance of public goods and services and help build more effective, accountable and inclusive governance in Liberia.
“Many of us need to use our various positions and platform to work to enable the world film. Film criticism and lively public discussion of all forms of film have an important role to play in development, healthy,” the USAID Education Specialist asserted.
She maintained that healthy film criticism is one of the essential conditions for developing film as an art, form and an understanding film and the role it play in society. “Prepare yourself to be challenged, excited and inspired, she concluded.
However, Mr. Shiffe Z. Baysah, a member of the National Teacher Association of Liberia stressed on the welfare of the teachers, he noted there is a need to increase salary in the teaching field.
He said it is the teacher that build and prepare the future generation, but yet many are paid L$ 7,500 while ministers, directors are received over US$1,500.
The appearance of the teacher in the class also have effect on the children learning ability, Mr. Baysah explained.
“It’s good to have a good learning environment, and nice building, but they are nothing when the teachers are not trained and equip to motivate the students for education.”
He pressed teachers are nation builders that prepare the future, noting without teacher it become difficult for any nation to succeed.
Meanwhile, a report from the Education Ministry says the youthful population of Liberia have high expectations of their leaders.
According to a report, 47.3 percent of the Liberian population have no education.
Some were also calling for accountability that when the MOE get the twenty percent increment, they will continue their advocacy to make sure that money allocated to the ministry is implemented rightly as More-4-Implementation.
The More-4-Education is a component of the United States Agency for International Development or USAID, Liberia Voice Accountability Initiative or LAVI that is being implemented by ten civil society organizations, which include Youth Movement for Collective Action, National Teacher Association of Liberia, Youth Coalition for Education in Liberia, National PTA Network of Liberia, Helping Our People Excel, Inclusive Development Initiative and Coalition for Transparency and Accountability in Education.