The Maryann Cheeseman Vocational Training Center has threatened to reduce the two-year professional certificate program to a one-year program due to a lack of funding.
With this serious call for government and partners’ support to the institution, it graduated 32 students over the weekend who were awarded professional diplomas in two disciplines, Beauty and Cosmetology, as well as Home Economics, following their completion of a two-year program.
Known as one of Liberia’s oldest professional institutions, the principal, Marie Carter, said the reduction of the two-year intensive training program to a one-year program is intended to make the school more effective in meeting the specific vocational and financial needs of the students.
She stressed, “We will also cut down the number of courses that were run under the two years studies. Beginning next semester, we will not continue with the two-year program due to financial constraints. It will be reduced to a one-year program until we can get adequate funding from government and partners.”
The Maryann Cheeseman was founded in 1978 by the Ministry of Education to provide alternative vocational education in Home Economics including tailoring, cooking and baking, customer service, as well as interior and exterior designs.
Later, the beauty and cosmetology department including hair braiding, pedicure, makeup, and skin care was added to the program.
However since its founding, there have been numerous complaints about the lack of government goodwill and support to the program.
In her litany on Friday, Principal Carter called on the government interested to see the institution as a major partner in the development of the country that has provided and is providing skill training and building the career path to many Liberians, some of whom are making a serious contribution to the country.
She said, “This school has not been fully supported by any government in the last eight years and it puts the burden on us the teachers which we have to share with the student. This is very fair to us.”
“I don’t care who carries news to whom. This is a fact. We have been forgotten by the government. There are no budgetary allotments to us from the Ministry of Education. We are almost running the school from our accounts. This is the truth” she added in what appeared to be a defying tone, complaining that some government officials who have scholarship students and some of those who promised to help the school with financial aid are not meeting up with their pledges.
“There were 35 students who began who started the program but some had to drop along the way not because they couldn’t make it in the class, but it was for some financial problems they had to drop,” Madam Carter said.
The principal informed her audience that nine out of the 15 teachers are volunteers who have been working in the school for the past eight years noting that they have engaged relevant actors from the MOE to include these men and women on the government payroll but to no avail.
She however thanked the students for the perseverance and studiousness they exhibited over the years that have earned them their various certificates. “I am proud to say that amid all the struggles, you are now marketable products like many others who have gone through these walls,” she noted.
The guest speaker for the program the administration of the school for their resilience in meeting the specific career needs of the student and at the same time called on the students to remain focused and utilize the skills they have acquired from the school.
Rev. Samuel Yeaney cautioned the graduates to use the skills gained as tools for self-employment, career advancement, crime reduction, increased income, and competitive advantage, saying, “The lack of skills is one major cause of corruption, crime, unemployment, and poverty.”
“Your skills should also be used for problem solving and innovation as well as personal fulfillment and satisfaction, but don’t be content. Go for more, let your desires lead you to use your skills to acquire greater things,” Rev. Yeaney said.
The absence of the Ministry of Education, key members of the government as well and some major partners was noticed not only by the school authorities but also by guests who believe that their absence corroborated the principal’s assertion that the Maryann Cheeseman Institute was not only forgotten by past governments but also the Boakai leg government that promised not to do business as usual.
