Plan International dedicates US$6,000 school building
A non-government organization, Plan International, has dedicated a modern primary school building to the Government of Liberia. The six classrooms structure includes dining hall, teacher’s quarter, playground, administrative building, and library.
Other facilities provided are textbooks and 50 scholarships for less fortunate girls. Speaking to reporters at the dedicatory ceremony recently in Lontuo, Twah River district#4, Plan International project officer, Kelvin Leapoe, said the initiative was achieved by Plan International Liberia in collaboration with Plan International Norway with funding from Oslo Katedralskole, Norway; Fyrstikalleenskole, Norway; and Akademiet VGS, Norway, respectively.
Mr. Leapoe said this is his organization’s way of contributing to quality education in Liberia. The director for secondary education Reuben Duo and county education officer Moses Dologbay extended gratitude to Plan International Liberia for the project, which they note, will contribute to the education of Liberia’s future leaders.
The two government officials then urged parents in Lontuo Town to seize the opportunity and send their kids to school
Meanwhile, the principal of the Lontuo public school, Charles Deward, said the construction of the school building will help to reduce teenage pregnancy in the town.
Mr. Deward disclosed that his school had an initial enrolment of 484, but it has reduced to 454.
Parents in the community welcomed the facility with jubilation and dancing.
Electoral district#4 Representative, Garrison Yealu, lauded Plan International-Liberia for the school project and pledged to pay five teachers at the institution, currently volunteering their services an amount of 7,000LRD monthly from April to September, 2017 until government could enlist their names on the payroll.
The Nimba Lawmaker also promised to construct a minute-clinic for the school so that students would have easy access to health facility.
He said Education and Health are his top priorities, further vowing to make sure citizens in his district have access to health facilities and schools.
Citizens of the town also commended Plan International-Liberia Education Advisor, Eugene Gray, Nimba County Education Officer, Moses S. Dologbay and Representative Yealu for their respective efforts towards the school project.
They said the construction of the school building in their area is a great relief, because in the past, their children were not in school, but rather involved with early marriage, farming activities and riding commercial motorbikes, among others.
Gbeh-lay-geh administrative district superintendent Daniel Bartoah-Bartuah also urged the citizens to utilize the facility by sending their kids to school.Editing by Jonathan Browne
