“Invest In Your Children’s Education”

-Salvation Army Staff Challenges Parents; As Several Students Received Mid-Year Promotion At WBPS

Tuesday March 12, 2019 was a color scene at the William Booth Elementary, Jr. and Sr. High school Compound situated in the Commercial District of Red-light in Paynesville, when students including parents were seen jubilating in every corner of the compound.

L-R Mr. Christian R. Smith, Honorees and Parents and Ambassador Momo Gborkowkollie Dowee

The jubilation was prompted by the decision of the administration of the William Booth Primary School (WBPS) in line with the Salvation Army Liberia and Sierra Leone Command School System policy on mid-year promotion, when sixteen students from ABC to 6^th grade received mid-year promotion from their various classes.

Speaking during the program, Salvation Army Public Relation Specialist Ambassador Momo Gborkowkollie Dowee challenged parents to invest in their children’s education.

According to Amb. Dowee, education is the only valuable gift that any parent can give to their children and will be only for them without sharing its proceeds with other family members except it is willing is done.

Ambassador Dowee, who is considered as one of the brains in Liberia with evidence from the recent graduation of the University of Liberia where he dux the entire graduate school frowned at parents who are not putting in more time for their children’s education.

Speaking further, Amb. Dowee thanked the administration of the William Booth Primary School for the bold step they took in promoting those students who exceptionally performed during the first semester.

He therefore, cautioned the students who received the mid-year promotion to continue their hard studies; nothing that the only medicine for learning is through hard studies and not going to medicine man to gain knowledge, something he said will not last, but only damaged the future.

The Liberian scholar also challenged parents not to only depend on the school alone to teach the upcoming generation, but they should also be involved with the upbringing of the children.

At the same time, the Education Officer for Zone ‘B’ schools of the Salvation Army Liberia and Sierra Leone command, Mr. Christian R. Smith lauded the kids for the hard studies and for also making their parents proud.

Mr. Smith further cautioned parents to honor the kids noting “for your child to double a class in this period when the country is faced with many financial crisis, it wroth honoring.”

For his part, the Principal of the William Booth Primary School Mr. James S. Tailey said the Salvation Army School System is not in the business of delaying the process of any child attending the school.

Mr. Tailey disclosed that the mid-year promotion is done every academic year after the first semester report is submitted from the Academic Chairman office and all recommendations for promotion is done by the sponsors of various classes.

At the end of the program, the parents through a representative Mr. Michael Lah praised the administration and the Education Secretariat for putting in place a good policy that will motivate students to study hard.

Those students who received the mid-year promotion include: Hannah Kollie, Victor Dahn, Jumie Gbeingan of the ABC class to K-I Class. Berry Wooder, Ambrose Kollie, Thumberlina Nimely of the K-I Class to K-II. Choice Tarpiah of K-II to Grade One. Orpah Duwah grade one to Grade two. Bridgett A. C. Smith, Joseph J. Kai, Florishe Kernley, and Elaine West all of grade two to Grade three. Grace Grabo of grade three to Grade four. Prince S. Gibson, Joe Bondo and Julia Lah all of grade six to grade seven. All of the students mentioned above maintained averages above 90 percent from first period to the 3^rd and the exams. Contributed by Samuel B. Diggs. TNR

New Republic Liberia

Alphonso Toweh

Has been in the profession for over twenty years. He has worked for many international media outlets  including: West Africa Magazine, Africa Week Magazine, African Observer and  did occasional reporting for CNN, BBC World Service, Sunday Times, NPR, Radio Deutchewells, Radio Netherlands. He is the current correspondent for Reuters 
 He holds first  MA with honors in International  Relations and a  candidate for second master in International Peace studies and Conflict  Resolution from the University of Liberia.