The Liberian Government plans to secure over US$2 billion for human capital development.
By Lewis S. Teh
Monrovia, March 19, 2025: Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Ngafuan says the Liberian Government plans to secure a whooping sum of US$ 2.36 billion in domestic and external resources.
He said the amount that is being projected over the period of five years is under the government’s Human Capitol Development pillar of’s national development plan- the Arrest Agenda.
“The total cost of the AAID is US8.4 billion dollars, and the Human Capital Development Pillar will be the second highest beneficiary, next to Infrastructure Development, of the domestic and external resources we are mobilizing to fund the AAID,” Minister Ngafaun said while delivering the keynote address at an event commemorating the 216th birth anniversary of Liberia’s first president, Joseph Jenkins Roberts, held at the First United Methodist Church in Monrovia.
According to him, to improve human capital during the next five years, the government intends to, among other things, build, renovate, or expand several climate-resilient educational infrastructures across the country; equip school facilities with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM); improve the rate of enrolment of children with disabilities by 10%, establish TVET streams at secondary level and build or upgrade TVET in some parts of the country.
“To achieve our human capital development goals, the government will forge strong partnerships with all stakeholders, including private sector and philanthropic organizations like the JJ Roberts Foundation,” he continued.
Ngafuan emphasized that expanding educational opportunities is the most effective way for the government to lift its people out of poverty and reduce dependency on external aid.
Mr. Ngafuan: “The Chinese philosopher, Confucius, was right when he said, ‘If your plan is for one year, plant rice; if your plan is for ten years, plant trees; if your plan is for one hundred years, educate children.’ In short, Confucius suggests that the most enduring dividends a country can reap come from investing in the education of its people—more broadly, in human capital development.”
Ngafuan emphasized that achieving these goals will require strong partnerships with stakeholders, including the private sector and philanthropic organizations such as the J.J. Roberts Foundation.
He noted that the Ministry of Education, with strong backing from the Ministry of Finance and Development Partners, is leading efforts under the Human Capital Development pillar.
US$93 Million Secure for Foundational Learning
Highlighting recent successes, Ngafuan revealed that the Liberian government secured a combined US$93 million grant in late 2024 from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and the World Bank to support foundational learning under the Excellence in Learning Project (EXCEL).
The EXCEL program will focus on Early Childhood Education (ECE) and Basic Education (Grades 1-6) by Renovating, Extending, and Constructing new schools in all 15 counties.
Enhancing curricula and producing new Teaching and Learning Materials (TLM), including digital resources. strengthening education systems through improved standards, data collection, and monitoring mechanisms.
“From my vantage point as Minister of Finance, I am optimistic about Liberia’s future. Despite today’s challenges, the government, under President Joseph Boakai, is working diligently to transform our nation into a lower-middle-income country within five years,” Ngafuan stated.
The program, held under the theme ” Fostering Greater Partnership for the Development and Enhancement of Quality Education for Liberian Children,” was graced by scores of prominent individuals, including Former Central Bank Governor Dr. Mills Jones, former Liberia representative to the MRU Mardina Wesseh, government officials, youths and students grouping, and JJ Roberts scholarship beneficiaries.
Joseph Jenkins Roberts, Liberia’s first President, was born on March 15, 1898, in the state of Virginia, United States of America.
Upon learning about the American Colonization Society’s efforts in creating the colony in Liberia, Roberts decided to join a group of fellow Virginians who were preparing to leave for Monrovia, the capital of a young colony.
On February 9, 1829, Roberts, along with his wife, infant child, mother, and siblings, sailed for Africa on the ship Harriet. In July 1847, a group of eleven delegates declared Liberia independent, and JJ Roberts won the first presidential election on October 5, 1847 and was sworn into office on January 3, 1848.- Edited by Othello B. Garblah.
