GANTA — Eight universities and colleges in Liberia with Teachers Colleges have benefited from a five-day Curriculum Development and Harmonization training for the Early Childhood Education and Primary Education Bachelor’s Degree Programs. The event took place at the Jackie Resort Hotel in the Peace Community, Ganta, Nimba County.
The training, organized by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the project “Transforming The Education System For Teachers And Students In Liberia (TESTS),” included participants from The University of Liberia (UL), Africa Methodist Episcopal University, Lofa County University, Grand Bassa University, LICOSESS College of Education, Cuttington University (CU), Adventist University of West Africa, and Nimba University, among others.
The five-day training focused on semester six courses and aimed to equip faculty and leaders in the Colleges of Education to implement and monitor a new, evidence-based curriculum in Early Childhood Education (ECE) and Primary Education (PE).
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the Faculty and Leadership Professional Development (FLPD) training, Deputy Minister for Instruction at the Ministry of Education Amos Armah Fully extended gratitude to USAID and the TESTS project for their efforts in improving the country’s education sector. He acknowledged the sector’s challenges and highlighted the need for continuous improvement.
Deputy Minister Fully noted that, on May 28, 2024, the TESTS project completed a full curriculum package of 16 general college requirements and one of the four National Commission on Higher Education core education courses for the attainment of Associate and Bachelor degrees in Early Childhood and Primary Education. The project has equipped 40 out of 56 targeted demonstration schools with the necessary teaching materials and aids to enhance the experience of teacher aspirants during their practicums and long-term internships.
He disclosed that the USAID TESTS project has sponsored eight faculty members from each of the eight Higher Education Teacher Training Institutions (HETTI) piloting this curriculum. The project has also provided 10 international scholarships to individuals from partnering institutions, including the Ministry of Education and the National Commission on Higher Education, to contribute to system strengthening, sustainability, and effective monitoring and evaluation of the project.
“Together with a Gender Equity and Social Inclusion task force, TESTS developed a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policy approved by the National Commission on Higher Education (NCHE). This policy is expected to be launched in early August 2024,” Deputy Minister Fully stated. He also mentioned that the project has agreed to sponsor two Ministry of Education officials for a study tour in Ghana to learn from their experience in implementing teacher licensing.
Deputy Minister Fully revealed that the USAID TESTS project has awarded 1,540 scholarships to students from eight universities to obtain either an Associate degree or Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood or Primary Education. Of these scholarships, 906 have been awarded to females and 634 to males. He praised the USAID TESTS project for its significant impact on the country’s education system.
Deputy Executive Director for Planning, Development, and Research at the National Commission on Higher Education Reginald S.Z. Mehnpaine urged institutions to utilize the knowledge gained from the session to enhance their performance in the classroom. He emphasized the necessity of inclusive education, which provides access to educational opportunities for people with disabilities and ensures equity.
“Considering the significance of this, we call on all higher education institutions in Liberia to ensure learning environments that are inclusive and free of discrimination,” Mehnpaine added. He pledged the NCHE’s commitment to working with various higher learning institutions to improve the education system in the country.
Liana Gertsch, Chief of Party for the USAID TESTS project, and Julie A. Sims, Project Manager at Mississippi State University, extended their thanks and pledged continued support for Liberia’s education sector. They appreciated the collaboration with HETTI and Inclusive Development Partners (IDP) on developing the ECE and PE Associate Degree Programs.
According to them, Mississippi State University, Inclusive Development Partners, and HETTI faculty serving on the various Technical Working Groups (TWGs) have developed 38 ECE and PE curriculum documents that have been reviewed and approved by the NCHE for implementation.
They emphasized their gratitude to the leadership of HETTI, Deans of the College of Education, and faculty for their support of the TESTS activity in developing the ECE and PE degree programs.
TESTS Technical Director Mator M.F. Kpangbai joined the USAID TESTS family in calling on participants to make a significant impact on the country’s education sector.
Participants, including Alphanso Wright from the University of Liberia (UL), urged the eight universities to engage with high schools across the country to impact students before they enroll in higher learning institutions. Wright’s statement was supported by several speakers, including Dr. Cecelia Cassell, Dean of William V.S. Tubman College of Education at UL, Dr. Amanze Charles Ihedioha of Cuttington University, Bobson Bleh from Africa Methodist Episcopal University, Lofa County University Vice President Dr. Morlu Korsor, and the Nimba University family. They pledged continued support for improving the education system in Liberia.
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