By S. Siapha Mulbah
The Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS) has outlined challenges facing Liberian students ranging from teenage pregnancy, drugs abuse and others.
MCSS’s Superintendent, Isaac Saye-Lakpoh Zawolo, said the above mentioned were some of those things confronting Liberia’s educational sector describing same as triple-threat issue including adolescent pregnancy, drug addiction, poverty, and dishonesty.
He said those challenges merit fast interventions as they continue to undermine the fabric of education, hence authorities need to wake up to the call.
Zawolo stressed the need by calling for the driving force behind the fast growing rate of teenage pregnancy and poverty in a sense that many of the victims fall preys to said conditions because of low socio-economic status.
“The adolescent pregnancy rate in Liberia is staggeringly high. It is estimated that “1 in 3 adolescent girls are pregnant before the age of 18” in Liberia. These girls should be in school and not in the maternal wards,” he averred.
With the statistics, the Superintendent maintained that the young people in the country through youth groupings’ attention needs to be drawn to the situation that is denying many young girls the opportunity of staying in school.
Though he lauded the legislature for their recent action to sign the drugs law, he wants the laws on the book to be implemented to the fullest.
“Not even these laws are a panacea to the complex problems of drug use by adolescence. Again, Liberian National Student Union (LINSU) must rise to the occasion to address this threat. The threat is real and potent but with a well-coordinated effort with young people and their organization in the driver’s seat, the battle can be won,” the educator intimated.
Zawolo made these comments when served key speakers during the celebration of the National Youth and Student Summit of the International Day of Students held recently on Thursday, November 17, 2022 in Monrovia.
He then cautioned Liberians to celebrate education as a priority and work on development of the sector for sustainability.
The Liberian educator reechoed that the Liberian educational sector is faced with many challenges that need holistic reforms in order to make sure that young Liberians remain and find joy in being around the schooling space of the country.
According to him abuse of drugs and other critical national issues have continuously confronted the education and youth environment thus leaving young people victimized by the current illiteracy rate among others.
Lauding LINSU for the innovations to convene the summit, Superintendent Zawolo said the students union must continue to function as a barometer of societal commitment to genuine participatory democracy.
“We embolden you to keep the flame of justice, fair play, and equal rights ablaze. We salute you. While education is a precursor for equity, peace, democracy, and national development, a well-informed, healthy, highly-skilled, and conscious citizenry is imperative for education,” he added.
As youths categorically remain and described as the outcome of disappointment based on their connection to political and other violence among others, Zarwolo wants the summit to help change the narratives and provide reshape to Liberians’ thoughts through the expressions of expert opinions and resolutions.
“If the movement must remain relevant, we must identify and shame the belly-driven hustlers who are inimical to your struggle. Those who give their lives to bring our movement to this point did not do so to fill the pockets of greedy and criminal-minded students,” he said.
The Liberia National Students Union (LINSU) officially commenced the pilot edition of the National Youth and Students Summit in Monrovia on November 17 Commemorating the International Students Day across the country.
The Summit, according to the students’ movement is aimed at empowering Liberian students and youths to address national issues and developing positive minds for the future.
Under the theme “Education, A Right & Precursor to Equity, Peace, Democracy, and National Development” Liberian students from the political subdivisions have started series of activities to harnessing with one another in the networking program.
Over the weekend, hundreds of students and youth leaders, civil society entities, national and international organizations converged at the Corina Hotel in Monrovia to launch the students’ event beginning November 16-19 of November this year.
At the opening ceremony, the organizers said the day for such occasion has been anticipated by Liberians and to have it for the first time ever in the history of Liberia while the launch remains an opportunity for the students and youth communities.
The Union through its President Mohamed Gandhi Kamara explained that the essence of the National Youth and Students Summit is to ensure that Liberian students and youths get involved into positive activities through educational lecture sessions and capacity building.
Gandhi-Kamara said school-going student’s institutions remain with strategic momentum of national government and international partners’ support to help alleviate the stress of institutional challenges across Liberia.
He asserted that as students look far-back in the percentage of time, there is a need for Liberian students to thoughtfully adapt and adopt a normal consciousness with a sense to retrospect a historic and geographical role to needless of time.
He used the occasion to extend gratitude to partners; students from across Liberia for gracing the international students day by turning up for the summit which is proudly powered by the Ministry of Education, Catholic Relief Service (CRS) and the UNDP among others.
“I want to commend all those who are supporting us from the back but decide to remain unidentified for the success of this pilot edition of the national youth and students summit,” Gandhi-Kamara stated.
