By Alex Yomah
Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor appears displeased with the Ministry of Education’s stance against Ricks Institute and Haywood Mission School.
In a special statement delivered during official commencement of the Legislature, Vice President Taylor told the Senate that there is critical need for the Senate to look at ways of allowing governance systems to ensure desired results.
Recently, the Ministry of Education threatened to ban schools that will graduate students in the absence of WAEC/WASSCE results.
She made a specific reference to the Ministry of Education, stating a case in point as the issue of whether or not the results of the WAEC/WASSCE exams can prevent a student who has completed and passed their requirements for the 12th grade from being processed, since in fact, a failure in WAEC/WASSCE does not allow said individual to repeat the grade.
She said the current wave of penalties levied on institutions that have held closing programs for those students who have completed their requirements for the 12th grade is a dilemma, for both the students and institutions of learning.
Adding, there is a need to provide an urgent discourse for a solution to this dilemma.
“Because in other western jurisdictions for example; the SAT is given to see your preparedness for college; a failure does not require one to repeat the 12th grade; but requires a re-sit the SAT’s exam to continue on to University or skills training. This issue if not resolved, leaves our young people in a quagmire, which is your responsibility to solve. Especially in these challenging times where young people need all the support to obtain the necessary help to fulfill their dreams,” veep Taylor told senators.
According to the Vice President, it is her prayer that each senator of the Liberian Senate will engender a renewed sense of responsibility and dedicate their time and efforts to resolving “These and many other national issues which will enable better governance of our democratic space.”