BWI Principal Outlines Achievements

The Principal of the Booker Washington Institution (BWI), Attorney Harris Fomba Tarnue has outlined major achievements of academic 2018/19219.
He said with support from the European Union (EU) and the Swedish Government, Liberia is presently experiencing the biggest jump ever in post-war Technical Vocational Educational Training (TVET) development at BWI.
The Principal recently made the disclosure at the 68th Commencement Convocation in Kakata, Margibi County, noting that the program which is dubbed “Youth Rising Program” is consistent with the government’s Youths empowerment program.
Mr. Tarnue told the audience that the project has started competitive recruitment of 100 young TVET Teachers who will shortly be placed in foreign training institutions assuring that upon their return his school will benefit 20 of those young teachers.
“We want to thank the Liberian Government through the Ministry of Education (MoE) for completing the arrangement relative to placing them on government’s payroll as they complete their training,” he indicated.
In practical response to the government’s roads construction program, the BWI Boss stated further that BWI, the country’s premier Technical Vocational High School has commenced for the first time in post-war Liberia the training of technicians in road construction and maintenance which is supported by funding from the German-Liberia Cooperation in capacity development in the Road Transport Sector, the Swedish Liberia Feeder Road Project and in partnership with the Association of Liberian Contractors (ALCC) which is implemented by GIZ.
“The training started on October 1, 2019 for the first batch of 50 young men and women from across the country, most especially from the South-East,” he disclosed.
The CEO continued that they have also completed the training of more than 300 young men and women from Margibi, Grand Bassa as well as Montserrado Counties in furniture production using rubber wood adding that BWI has reached an agreement to with the Nimba Community College (NCCC) for them to jointly train furniture makers and carpenters saying that the program is funded by the Japanese Government and implemented with technical support from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).
Additionally, the Principal of the institution also indicated that they are continuing the training of youths for employable skills in Hydraulics, Auto Electricity including Excavator operation that was initially implemented by UNIDO with funding from the Japanese Government.
“For the second year running, BWI has demonstrated capacity and competency in managing the program. In July of 2018, we graduated 200 trainees and we currently have the second batch of trainees who will be completing their training early next year,” he explained.
On the academic front, the Head of BWI however pointed out that students’ performances have improved during 2018/2019 than the previous year because no student passed in the Sciences but for Academic 2018/2019, the total of 203 students were registered for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) of which over 30% passed in more than four subjects including English and Mathematics; 32% passed in more than five subjects; 13% passed in more than six subjects while 12.5%passed in three subjects and 4% passed in seven subjects respectively.
But the administrator of the institution admitted that his students were challenged in Chemistry and Literature so they are going to fully utilize their Science Laboratories during the current year with more emphasis being placed on the practical aspect and that they have already commenced tutorial classes that will go along side with Ministry of Education’s tutorial classes adding that they will also prepare students to do the WASSCE in vocational and technical courses as a pilot project so that they can “Benchmark” their performances with other students in the sub-region.
He then urged students, instructors as well as administrators including managers, parents and relevant stakeholders to work even harder so as to move beyond present performance level towards their vision of true Model Center of Excellence in TVET and elevate the school to a Technical College by 2022.