By Patrick Stephen Tokpah
MONROVIA-Cuttington University Campus, Bong County-USAID Transforming the Education System (TESTS) implemented by RTI International in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the National Commission on Higher Education has concluded a three-day Curriculum Revisions Board Workshop at the Cuttington University Campus in Suakoko, Bong County.
USAID’s development partnership with Liberia dates back to the very founding of the Agency in 1961. As the largest bilateral donor in Liberia, the United States plays an influential and vital role in many aspects of Liberia’s development.
USAID/Liberia has strived to ensure that the Agency’s development strategy for Liberia complements and supports the Government of Liberia’s development vision as articulated in its Agenda for Transformation and other national development strategy documents.
In particular, USAID partners with the Government and people of Liberia to address the underlying structural and institutional problems that gave rise to fourteen years of civil strife and war, while at the same time tackling the Country’s more immediate development needs and challenges.
Given the objective of the workshop, USAID-Liberia Deputy Education Office Director, Barton Pogue said the workshop was intended to adopt a new core curriculum for Early Childhood Education (ECE) and Primary Education students at eight higher education training institutions.
He said the curriculum adopted at the end of the workshop will be used to train more than 3,500 teachers and help improve ECE and Primary Education instructional delivery in Liberia.
Mr. Pogue said the curriculum standardization and adoption process is coordinated by Mississippi State University in the US.
Remarking at the opening ceremony of the workshop, Cuttington University President Dr. Romelle A. Horton thanked USAID Liberia for their huge contribution to the development of the University.
The Cuttington University Interim female President at the same time lauded USAID for selecting the University to be part of the Curriculum Revisions Board Workshop in the County.
For his part, the Director-General of the National Commission on Higher Education in the Republic of Liberia, Prof Dr. Edward Lama Wonkeryor lauded the effect of USAID Liberia for always helping the Liberian government through the revamping process of the education system of the Country.
He said USAID Liberia has always been hugely involved in the transformation process of the education system of Liberia.
The National Commission on Higher Education Director General revealed that in other for Liberia to be transformed in this 21st century, there is a need to educate the younger generation or people of the Country, adding this is why USAID and the American people are using taxpayers’ dollars from the United States to help train Teachers to develop Early Childhood Education curriculum in other to meet the global standard.
Prof. Dr. Edward Lama Wonkeryor further appealed to USAID Liberia not to only train the 3,500 teachers, but rather they should do everything possible in their power to train at least 18 to 20 Liberians from various higher institutions of learning in the area of Early Childhood Education; so that the program will become sustainable and there will be a continuous after the departure of USAID.
The workshop which was held from March 28 – 30, 2022 on the Campus of Cuttington University brought together hard profile educators from eight of Liberia’s higher institutions of learning.
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.