Published: January 30, 2026
CAPITOL HILL – Grand Gedeh County District No. 1 Rep. Jeremiah G. Sokan Sr. has submitted a draft bill to the House of Representatives seeking to establish the Zwedru Multilateral Institute (ZMI) and grant it autonomous status, a move he says would strengthen technical and vocational education in Liberia’s southeastern region.
The House has referred the bill to a joint committee comprising Education (lead), Good Governance, Ways and Means and Judiciary for review. The committee is expected to review the legal, financial and policy implications of the proposal and report back to plenary in the coming weeks.
Speaking to legislative reporters Thursday after submitting the bill, Sokan said the proposal represents progress on a long-standing education issue in Grand Gedeh County, particularly District No. 1.
“We have made significant progress on a major issue affecting the education sector in Grand Gedeh County,” Sokan said. “Today, we successfully submitted a bill seeking to establish the Zwedru Multilateral Institute and grant it full autonomy by upgrading the Zwedru Multilateral High School.”
Sokan said the bill aims to create an inclusive learning environment where students from all backgrounds can study and acquire skills without discrimination. He added that the proposed institute would align with Liberia’s national Technical and Vocational Education and Training framework and support the government’s ARREST Agenda in the southeastern region.
Established in 1961, Zwedru Multilateral High School has long served as one of the region’s leading academic and vocational institutions. Sokan noted that the school offers training in agriculture, electrical works, carpentry, masonry, automobile mechanics and other technical disciplines.
“It is important to note that Zwedru Multilateral has served not only for its academic relevance, but for its vocational component,” he said. “The school has prepared men and women who today play critical roles in our society, both before and after the war.”
Sokan said the push for autonomy is also driven by anticipated economic developments in the county, including the possible reactivation of mining operations at Putu. According to him, an upgraded and autonomous institute would be better positioned to train a skilled local workforce to meet emerging labor demands.
“With the emergence of new markets and the expected activities around Putu, it is urgently important that this institution be upgraded,” Sokan said. “It must be able to prepare young people with the skill sets needed for agriculture, mining and other productive sectors in the region.”
Addressing concerns about fiscal impact, Sokan said granting autonomy would not necessarily create a heavy burden on government resources. While public subsidy would continue, he said the change is largely administrative and intended to improve governance and operational flexibility.
“This upgrade is very much lateral,” he said. “It may not necessarily create a huge fiscal burden, while at the same time giving the institution the latitude to attract funding and improve quality.”
If enacted, the bill would make Zwedru Multilateral Institute one of the few autonomous public educational institutions in Liberia, following the model of Booker Washington Institute in Margibi County. Sokan said that model helped inspire the proposal.
An alumnus of Zwedru Multilateral, Sokan said he is personally committed to advancing the institution. “I’m thrilled today to know I can play a part in moving this institution to the next level,” he said.
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