By Ezekiel Geeplay
MONROVIA, November 24, 2024-The United States Government, through USAID, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, has officially launched Liberia Foundational Skills Activity (LFSA) on November 21, 2024 in Monrovia.
The five-year initiative according to Minister Jarso Maley Jallah value at USD $75 million is designed to strengthen English literacy skills for over 120,000 students in Grades 1–6 across six counties across the country.
She named Bong, Grand Bassa, Lofa, Margibi, Montserrado, and Nimba, with a 70 percent target of public schools in the country.
The Liberia Foundational Skills Activity according to the MOE Boss will address critical gaps in literacy education and reinforces Liberia’s national education standards, laying a strong foundation for sustainable development and economic resilience.
“This initiative is led by local and international partners, including the Diversified Educators Empowerment Project (DEEP), Kid’s Educational Engagement Project (KEEP), WE-CARE, FAWE Liberia, FREE Liberia, Mathematica, and One World Network of Schools (OWNOS) among others,” She explained.
Minister Jallah highlighted its transformative potential, adding, “Through this partnership, we are equipping our children with tools to build a brighter and more prosperous Liberia.”
For his part and on behalf of the Government and people of the United States of America, US Ambassador Mark Toner emphasized the importance of the initiative, stating, “This program is a testament to the enduring partnership between the United States and Liberia”.
The US envoy maintained that such collaboration integrates global expertise and local knowledge to create inclusive and equitable learning environments.
It is important to mention that the Liberia Foundational Skills Activity is built upon USAID’s longstanding contributions to Liberia’s education sector, which include over $300 million in investments over the past decade, leading to a 15% increase in primary school enrollment, improved literacy proficiency, the training of 7,500 teachers and the renovation of over 300 schools.
