The National Director of the SOS, Prosper Ndione says education is key in every country indicating that any nation without education will eventually disappear.
He stressed that access to quality education remains a cornerstone for development and employment. Despite progress made, there are 1.4 million children in Liberia who still face barriers to education.
“Education is a right and not a privilege” but rather a right for every children,” Mr. Ndione emphasized.
The SOS National Director has amplified calls to government to build more public schools and universities in order to allow parents who can’t afford private schools’ fees to send their children to school and to align it with technology since we are living in the technology world.
Mr. Ndione made the statement during a special remarks at the official celebration of
The Day of the African Child came about on June 16, 1976 after a group of school going children protested for their rights to education in South Africa.
The Global Theme for this year’s celebration is ‘Education for all children in Africa: the time is now,’ and the National Theme; ‘Promoting inclusive and resilient educational system for every child in Liberia’ underscores the critical importance of providing quality education and safeguarding the well-being of children to ensure they can thrive and contribute to their communities and Country.
According to Mr. Ndione, currently, SOS is operating in 137 countries worldwide providing education for children who lost and or are abandoned by their parents.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural (UNESCO) Education sector Analysis 2022 shows that the gross enrollment rate in Liberia currently is 881,131.
Director Ndione further stated that enrollment at the lower primary level decreased by more than 50,000 students from 2015 to 2020, while all other levels witnessed slight increases in overall enrollment.
“Early childhood Development (ECD) is a clear government priority at the policy level, however, access in public schools still requires payment of fees including the purchase of uniforms,” the SOS National Director urged government and stakeholders.
Meanwhile, SOS National Director is committed to breaking barriers and ensuring that every child, regardless of their background or circumstances, has the opportunity to learn and thrive.
