Govt. renovates 500 schools

Authorities at the Ministry of Education have disclosed here that over 500 schools have been renovated across the country in preparation for the reopening of schools next Monday, as officially announced.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, 9 February at a daily press briefing hosted by the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism on Capitol Hill, a senior policy advisor at the Ministry of Education, Albert Coleman, said though there has been lot of misconceptions about the reopening of schools, normal academic activities will officially commence on Monday, February 16th. .

He said during the peak of the Ebola virus outbreak many school facilities were used as treatment centers for suspected patients.

Mr. Coleman said the renovation process was intended to provide conducive learning environment for students. 

He said students in rural areas like their colleagues in Monrovia need to learn in a better environment.

Coleman said government’s decision to renovate both public and private schools is in response to the fact that many school facilities were abandoned during the Ebola crisis.

“We want to put proper measures in place by providing some preventive materials to every school in Liberia, including chlorine, thermometers, hands washing buckets, among others  before schools open”, he said.

The senior policy advisor said the focus is on three key areas that will boost the educational sector in Liberia, including quality of education, access, and the governance and management of the educational sector.

He said in order to have access to quality education, county officials should be empowered with requisite logistics, including vehicles for County Education Officers, and motorbikes for District Education Officers to enable them effectively monitor and supervise schools across the country.

By Lewis S. Teh