Liberia signs $47m grant to improve secondary education

The government of Liberia signed a grant on July 19 financing an agreement of $47 million to Improving Results in Secondary Education (IRISE) Project.

Finance and Development Planning Minister Samuel D. Tweah Jr. and World Bank Liberia Country Director Pierre Laporte represented the government at the ceremony.

Tweah said Liberian President George M. Weah prioritizes education, noting that with qualify instructors in the classroom at secondary level; the sector will experience real transformation. He believes that Liberia can turn the corner in education through innovation.

The IRISE project takes a system-based approach to address the fundamental issues and challenges facing secondary level education in the country. The grant will focus on improving the quality of secondary education services, especially for adolescent girls.

The project will contribute to improving Liberia's human capital base, which is critical to the development of the country, said Laporte.

He disclosed that secondary education not only enables individuals to enhance their learning, but also makes them more productive. In turn, this increases the field of qualified workers able to better meet the growing needs of the modern-day labor market.

Laporte said that secondary education also provides the foundation to enable young people to further their professional careers during their life time.

Prof. D. Ansu Sonii, Liberia's Minister of Education, thanked the bank for the grant, saying it would transform the country's education sector. He stated that with the grant, over 3,000 girls from grades 9-12 will have the opportunity to remain in school.

Sonii stressed the need for greater emphasis on Early Childhood Development, because doing so will ensure that kids have strong foundation in education.