By Emmanuel Koffa
TREHN STATUTORY DISTRICT – Citizens and residents of Sawken Township, Trehn Statutory District have expressed deep concerns regarding the absence of educational facilities within their community, making a passionate plea to the Government of Liberia (GoL) and lawmakers of Grand Kru County, for immediate intervention.
In rural parts of Liberia, the absence of school facilities is a pervasive issue, hindering access to education for many school-age children.
There are limited number of educational infrastructure across the country, especially in rural parts of the country, where there is a prevalence of the lack of basic school infrastructure including classrooms, toilets, and clean water facilities. This constrains school-age children to attend school in makeshift or temporary structures, compromising their learning environment.
The Grand Kru citizens and residents of Sawken Township, who are parents and guardians of school-age children, made the appeal recently through the Sawken Township Elementary School Registrar’s office, calling on authorities of the Ministry of Education and Grand Kru County’s electoral District #1 lawmaker, Representative Nathaniel Bahway, to prioritize the construction of a school building in their township, indicating that currently, the absence of a single school building in the area is hindering their children’s drive for educational opportunities.
The appeal comes amid growing frustration among residents who argue that the absence of a school facility in the township is adversely impacting the education of children in the area, since the commencement of the academic year 2023/2024.
A makeshift structure housing the Sawken Township Elementary School was damaged last year and is yet to be rehabilitated.
George Nyemah Benson, Registrar of the school said, the nearest school building is located several kilometers away, making it challenging for younger students to commute safely.
“Our children have to walk long distances every day, and in this era, that should not be the case,” Benson lamented, adding; “Education is a fundamental right, and we are only asking for what is necessary for our children to have a better future.”
Students in the area are currently being accommodated in a market building, constructed by Grand Kru County Senator Albert Tugba Chie.
Many school-age children are either dropping out of school or are unable to enroll due to the limited capacity of the market building, according to Registrar Benson.
Sawken Township is located within Grand Kru County electoral District #1, and the lawmaker of the area in the House of Representatives, Nathaniel Bahway, is yet to respond to the concerns of his constituents, as school-age kids are currently attending school from a market building.
A statement from the Ministry of Education through the office of the Grand Kru County Education Office acknowledges the appeal from citizens and residents of Sawken Township and assures of the Ministry’s support from the GoL and its partners, who according to the statement will continue to assess the educational infrastructure needs across Liberia. In the statement, the Ministry of Education encouraged members of Sawken Township to submit a formal proposal that outlines the specifics of their request including an estimated cost and a potential site for the construction of a school building in the area.
Edited by Olando Testimony Zeongar
