By Precious D. Freeman
BudgIT Liberia and Starz University have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to enhance the learning capacities of students attending the university.
BudgIT is a civic tech transparency organization which aims at redefining participatory governance by presenting government data in engaging formats: simple tweets, interactive format or “infographic” displays.
As introduced and part of the MoU, the BudgIT Youth Club Initiative is a three-month flagship program that mentors university’s students from five universities: African Methodist Episcopal Zion University, African Methodist Episcopal University, United Methodist University, Starz University and University of Liberia.
It involves those students in leadership and decision-making, in addition to spreading the culture of human rights and its values and bridges career development and leadership gaps among university’s students by building their capacity with the needed skill and knowledge to contribute to Liberia’s development, and skill workforce.
The program will equip students in leadership and decision-making, in and additionally spread the culture of human rights and its values.
The Club is to build a community of active students that utilize public data and training that improves students’ participation in governance and nation building by equipping them with employable and leadership skills to enhance participatory governance.
During the signing ceremony yesterday in Monrovia, BudgIT Liberia Country Lead Abraham Varney said the MoU will enable students to build on their career path and better prepare them for the job market.
“The purpose of this MoU is to clearly define the terms and conditions of a cooperative relationship between The University and BudgIT Liberia in the implementation of The BudgIT Youth Club,” he stressed.
He disclosed that the MoU will also focus on three thematic areas ranging from Career Development, Leadership and Fiscal Transparency Initiatives.
In remarks, the Director for Career Development at Starz University, Nabo C. Pokoi lauded BudgIT Liberia for the initiative and level of coordination and instrumentality.
According to him, the program will help students at the university to explore outside classroom instructional materials thus enabling them to learn new skills and build their network abilities.
Starz University will under the MoU facilitate the registration of the club in the university as a campus-based organization, and collaborate with BudgIT to organize budget awareness campaigns, session, and media engagement to disseminate budget information;
The university will also monitor the coordination of the BudgIT Club activity in the university along with BudgIT and supervise the establishment of the BudgIT Youth Club Management Team along with BudgIT Liberia.
It shall work alongside BudgIT Liberia to recruit BudgIT Youth Club members in the university, and support BudgIT in fundraising initiatives such as sending recommendations to donors where required for the institution to raise funds to support and sustain club activities.
The higher learning institution will further designate a specific office or staff member that shall serve as liaison between BudgIT and the university on this partnership.
However, BudGIT Liberia under the MoU, shall oversee the operation and management of all activities of the BudgIT Youth Club.
