The administration of the Ricks Institute in Virginia, outside Monrovia, has hailed Liberia’s Vice President, Jewel Howard-Taylor, for her great efforts in leading the cause for female education in Liberia.
The administration particularly recognizes the effort of the Jewel Starfish Foundation under the sponsorship of the Vice President for on-going initiatives meant to train young female leaders at several academic institutions including the Ricks Institute.
According to the school, the Vice President through her foundation and other partners, a year ago awarded scholarships to 13 girls to attend the Ricks Institute until they can complete their high school education.
The boarding school in a special statement under the signature of its acting Principal expressed how passionate Madam Howard-Taylor is about girls’ education noting that, if supported, she would do everything in her capacity to ensure that beneficiaries of her goodwill gesture get the best of education.
Mr. Klahn-Gboloh Jarbah also praised the Vice President for always taking time out to visit with the institution to ascertain the welfare of the kids and regularly attending academic activities hosted by the institution.
The statement acknowledges that this attribute exhibited by the Liberian first female Vice President demonstrates her strong desire not only to educate young females but to develop them into great women leaders.
The Ricks Institute, therefore, expresses its gratitude to the Vice President while encouraging her to continue to play such a motherly role in the best interest of the county and its people.
The school wished that the Vice President and Partners will continue to achieve greater progress and prosperity and look forward to further strengthening the friendship and cooperation between the school and her office.
The School furthered that the Vice President and the current government under the leadership of George M. Weah will continue to explore an educational development path that suits our own national conditions and accelerates its modernization.
Meanwhile, the School’s Acting Principal, Klahn-Gboloh Jarbah, who has had his tour of experience in central government, education and at the Central Bank of Liberia, assured that beginning next the school year, vocational-technical education program would be introduced as part of the school’s vision to effect the appropriate modification to its curriculum.
Mr. Jarbah named these courses as professional nursing, agriculture, management and administration, computer applications, and financial accounting and hospitality management.
According to him, the courses are three years program spanning from grades 10th-12th with the objective of preparing the students for the labor market.
Ricks Institute, a grade school from Kindergarten to 12 Grade, is a learning and faith community of Liberia Baptist Missionary and Educational Convention, Inc. which seeks to achieve a distinction throughout Liberia and beyond in offering a balanced and integrated education of the head, heart, and hands by providing its students with a firm foundation for life and the inspiration to serve others.