PHOTO: Min. Wilson encouraging students at the program
By Mark N. Mengonfia, mmenginfia@gmail.com
Youth and Sports Minister, D. Zoegar Wilson says career selection is a difficult decision to make but when making such it should be done with caution.
Speaking at the Don Bosco High School in Monrovia’s Sinkor suburb recently, Minister Wilson told the students and others who have gone to witness the launching of the electrical session of Technical Vocational Education.
.According to the Minister, Liberian President George Weah has been lobbying for the young people of Liberia for them to improve their lives.
He told the students that when President Weah visited France during his first term, the money promised by the government of France adding that the Bon Bosco High is one of the beneficiary schools in Liberia.
Minister Wilson discouraged young people who believe that government work is the only work for a young person.
“What we have realized is that many young people what to work for government and that cannot happen,” the minister said.
He encouraged them to make themselves employers, rather than working for government work.
“Always do your best to make use of the knowledge that has been impacted into you,” he told the students.
He said to the twenty students who graduated from the first batch of the electrical skill training that,” today, let it not be the ending but the beginning.”
Of the twenty students who graduated, only one female was among her male counterparts.
Jamire Kanneh said she has dreamt of other careers growing up as a child, but she was moved by comment made back in the six grade.
“Later, I decided that going in the engineering field would not only be inspiring and challenging, but a way of sharing with the world the power of a woman in the field of electricity.”
She went on to say,” I have been doing electricity for the past four years at this school. At first there were many other girls in the department but I can proudly say that I am the only girl completing the three years in high school.”
The female electrician indicated that upon leaving her under graduate program, she hopes to do a mister degree in the field of electricity and she also hopes that her knowledge will have a greater impact on the Liberian society.
Speaking earlier was Rev. Fr. Frederick Okusu, Precipal of the of the institution who said over the years, their students have not benefited from only classroom education, but they have also benefited from skill training program computer.
At this point of providing education to Liberians he said they saw the need to open their doors to the public to benefit from the training they are offering for students at the institution.
The President of the Parents, Teacher Association (PTA), Andrew Macgona boasted that the institution has really impacted the live of the children indicating that since his son graduated from the Don Bosco High School with the training in electricity, all of his electrical works done at home are carried out by his son, something he said her was very proud of the school for
The PTA chairperson said the world has reached a point that everyone needs to have a skill that will back them after high schools.
“If you learn something you chances of employment is high” he intoned.
The PTA chairperson used the occasion to call on the Liberian government to help the institution make the program a successful one that will reach the 15 counties of Liberia.
At the program, they constituted two committees that will help drive their plans in the right direction.
They as well launched a job service adding that it is intended to promote Technical vocational education and to guard students who leave their program in earning a job at the labor market.
The Bon Bosco High school is the only Institution in Liberia that is benefiting from the “Supporting Allowance for Africa Mobility,” SAAM, a program that is working with African students for them to reach their full potential in life.
SAAM is in 25 countries around the world and of the 25 countries, 17 are from Africa with Liberia being one of the 17 countries in Africa.
It is funded by the African Union ( AU) and the European Union-EU
The program was attended by Rev. Fr. Charles Boyce, Vicar General of the Catholic Archdiocese of Monrovia.
In his statement, he praised the government of Liberia for the opportunity they have provided for the institution over the years.