Ellen shares 79th birthday gifts with students

In observance of her 79th birthday celebration, President Ellen Johnson – Sirleaf has distributed uniforms, sporting materials and other gifts among kids at six different schools in Bomi County, western Liberia.

Ahead of the main day on 29 October, President Sirleaf and her entourage visited the Jah Konnah Village Public School, Nannon Town Public School, Kordee Public School, Detailah Public School, Sumo Town Public School and Fefeh Town Public School on 27 October, giving out uniforms, jersey, footballs and biscuits to school kids.

While interacting with kids on the various campuses, cooks shared food provided by the President with the jubilant pupils who had formed queues.

Following distribution of the gifts at the various schools, President Sirleaf told journalists in an interview that kids whose parents did not have money to buy their uniforms in many of the schools that are not Bridge Schools founded their dress codes were different because they are without uniforms.

Working with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Mrs. Sirleaf says she has been promoting a sewing class in the village that was contracted to sew all of the uniforms she distributed.

She says works have been done on the uniforms for the past six months for elementary schools, looking at the sizes of the kids and keeping the ones completed.

Beyond providing the cloth used for the uniforms, the President says she sent food that was prepared for the kids during her stay in the village.

During the distribution, the President observed that the children, their parents and teachers were happy because teachers and parents like to see school kids in uniforms, saying “I think everybody was happy, so was I.”

But Mrs. Sirleaf also notes that many of the villagers appeared sad given that her time is elapsing, especially considering their regular business transactions with her during weekends when she buys their products taken to her from their farms.

During her interaction with teachers and students on the various campuses visited, Mrs. Sirleaf received some requests from principals for her intervention on the conditions of their schools. Some of the requests bordered on the welfare of some teachers that are not yet placed on government payroll.

In response, she assured them that she will talk with the Ministry of Education, and matters relating to teachers that are not on payroll will be handled after the elections.

By Winston W. Parley