PHOTO: Paschal Donohoe, World Bank Group Managing Director and Chief Knowledge Officer (Left)
Speaking at the dedication ceremony of the newly constructed Model School in Kakata, Margibi County by the Liberian government with support from the World Bank, the visiting World Bank Group Managing Director, Paschal Donohoe hailed the government for opening doors to “learning, to opportunity, and to lives lived with dignity and purpose.”
The model secondary school, which will accommodate up to one thousand students, was dedicated in Kakata on Thursday, March 19, 2026 by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai.
Mr, Donohoe, who is also Chief Knowledge Officer said: “This achievement reflects a clear and sustained commitment by the Government to invest in human capital and to ensure that education remains a cornerstone of Liberia’s development journey. Education shapes not only skills, but values—resilience, responsibility, and a sense of shared national purpose.”
BELOW IS FULL TEXT OF THE WORLD BANK GROUP MD’S SPEECH:
Commissioning of High School in Kakata, Margibi County
Speech of Paschal Donohoe, World Bank Group Managing Director and Chief Knowledge Officer
March 19, 2026; Time: 11am; Margibi County, Liberia
- Your Excellency President Boakai, Honorable Minister Jallah, thank you for your steadfast leadership in championing Liberia’s education agenda. Distinguished partners, honorable officials of the Government of Liberia and colleagues, it is an honor to join you for today’s commissioning of the Kakata model senior secondary school, built under the IRISE project.
- Today’s launch is much more than the opening of a school building. It is a powerful statement of national ambition and confidence in Liberia’s future.
- By expanding access to senior secondary education, the Government of Liberia is opening doors—to learning, to opportunity, and to lives lived with dignity and purpose. Every new classroom represents hope: hope for young people who can now continue their education, hope for families who see new possibilities for their children, and hope for communities that will benefit from a better-educated generation.
- This achievement reflects a clear and sustained commitment by the Government to invest in human capital and to ensure that education remains a cornerstone of Liberia’s development journey. Education shapes not only skills, but values—resilience, responsibility, and a sense of shared national purpose.
The role of education and skills in jobs and economic transformation
- Learning and skills matter more than access alone. Getting children into school is necessary but not sufficient—what they learn determines whether education translates into opportunity.
- Foundational skills are the gateway. Global experience shows that children who master literacy and numeracy in the early grades are far more likely to complete basic education—the foundation for all further education and training.
- Strong secondary education is a multiplier. It lays the foundation for technical training, higher education, entrepreneurship, and productive employment—the building blocks of the economic transformation Liberia is pursuing.
- The World Bank is proud and honored to be a longstanding partner of the Government of Liberia, including in the education sector. Our partnership spans nearly a decade of investment in education—each project building on the last, each one reflecting a shared belief that education is the surest path to human progress and Liberia’s transformation.
- We are especially proud that this partnership continues through the EXCEL project—our largest-ever education investment in Liberia, at US$88.7 million. Launched in December 2025, EXCEL addresses learning poverty head-on and at national scale, reaching every public primary school across all 15 counties. Its transformational potential lies in a simple but powerful ambition: that every Liberian child, regardless of where they live, should be able to read, write, and count by the time they complete primary school.
Closing
- Let me close by once again congratulating the Government of Liberia on this important achievement.
- To the educators and school leaders: your dedication makes these investments meaningful. To the parents and communities: your support sustains them. And to the students: you are the reason we are here. Your success will shape Liberia’s future.
- The World Bank remains committed to walking alongside Liberia as a trusted partner—today, and in the years ahead. Thank you.