Africa-Press – Liberia. United Dawah Ummah High School has emerged as the winner of the 2025 National Intellectual Property (IP) High School Club Competition, defeating five other schools in a highly competitive national final held on July 11 at the YMCA Conference Hall in Monrovia.
The competition, organized by the Liberia Intellectual Property Office (LIPO) in collaboration with the Ministries of Education and Commerce, featured students demonstrating their knowledge of complex IP concepts, including copyrights, piracy, patents, and industrial designs.
Sister Mary Laurene Browne, OSF, served as Chief Judge, with Llord Aidoo and Abdul Karim Sheriff acting as co-judges. In announcing the results, Sister Mary Laurene congratulated all participating schools and praised the students for their mastery of intellectual property issues.
“Every one of you here today is a winner,” she said. “While one school emerges as champion, you are all champions for learning something important.”
United Dawah Ummah High School claimed first place, followed by Lott Carey Baptist Mission School as the first runner-up, and Ganta United Methodist High School as the second runner-up.
The top three schools received cash prizes, with United Dawah awarded LRD 100,000, Lott Carey receiving LRD 60,000, and Ganta United Methodist taking home LRD 45,000.
The path to the national final began with county-level qualifiers earlier this year, involving over 200 students from 13 schools across Montserrado, Nimba, and Grand Bassa Counties. United Dawah and Lott Carey qualified from Montserrado, with United Dawah emerging as the county champion.
Ganta United Methodist entered the national round as the Nimba County champion, followed by J.W. Pearson High School. W.P.L. Brumskine High School represented Grand Bassa County, with Bassa High School as runner-up.
Speaking during the event, co-judge Abdul Karim Sheriff, who also serves as President of the Liberia Movie Union, praised the quality of the students’ presentations and encouraged the continuation and expansion of the initiative.
“Understanding IP is not easy, so seeing students demonstrate this with such ease makes me proud,” Sheriff said. “Their performances on various types of IP were impressive.”
The competition, launched in 2024, was developed as an academic initiative to address low IP literacy among Liberian high school students. It aligns with the government’s ARREST Agenda and aims to support human capital development by introducing students to the relevance of IP rights and the role of innovation in national development.
LIPO Director General Hon. Garmai Koboi described the competition as more than just an academic event, emphasizing its role in empowering youth through knowledge and creativity.
“From great performances to compelling presentations, the energy and enthusiasm were truly inspiring,” she said. “What we witnessed at the final was the power of imagination, innovation, and intellectual curiosity, as each school brought forward brilliant ideas, showcased their understanding of intellectual property, and demonstrated how creativity can be protected and celebrated.”
Hon. Koboi noted that her administration remains committed to nurturing the next generation of IP champions in Liberia.
“As we close this chapter, we look forward to seeing these young talents continue to innovate, protect, and inspire,” she added.
For More News And Analysis About Liberia Follow Africa-Press
