By Solomon T Gaye, Sr.
World Food Program Country Director, Alieu Diongue and the United Nations Resident Coordinator, Christine Umuyoni, recently visited Ganta, Nimba County.
Speaking in Ganta, the team leader disclosed that the purpose of the delegation’s visit is to meet with Ministry of Education officials working with the Nimba school system to introduce the newly assigned WFP representative in Liberia.
Speaking on behalf of the Nimba School System, CEO Moses Dologbaye outlined several issues affecting the smooth running of the school system.
He named an acute shortage of trained teachers and shortage of food, among other things as factors contributing to low enrollment of students at various public schools in the 13 educational districts in Nimba.
According to CEO Dologbaye, many of the public schools operating in the 13 districts, receiving food from WFP School Feeding Program, were dropped by the WFP team without prior notice to the authorities of the school systems in the county.
“The abrupt cutting off of schools that were receiving food from WFP, discouraged many of the school going children and is contributing to the low enrollment into public schools in the system,” CEO Dologbaye disclosed.
Nimba school system contains 13 educational districts, 13 district education officers, and 435 public schools, but lacks qualified and trained teachers at many of the elementary, junior and senior high schools in the districts.
Since the beginning of 2023, reports of alleged shortage of teachers and WFP food, as well as low enrollment at various public schools are now the order of the day, according to the CEO, during a normal routine in Gbellay -Geh Educational District in Karnplay City.
Speaking on behalf of the team members, a WFP Representative in Liberia promised to work in line with WFP policy that go with school feeding to strengthen the education sectors in the country.
The program was held at the Bain-Garr Educational District One sub-office, at John Wesley Pearson Campus, under the watchful eyes of Dologbaye and others.
