Africa-Press – Liberia. The Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Health and in collaboration with key partners, has officially launched a nationwide campaign aimed at increasing school enrollment and strengthening birth registration for children aged 0 to 12.
The initiative, titled the “School Enrollment Drive and Birth Registration Campaign,” was formally launched on Monday in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County. It represents a joint effort by the Ministries of Health, Education, and Gender, Children & Social Protection, with strong support from international partners including UNICEF, Save the Children, Street Child, and Educate Her.
Leading the launch, Minister of Health Dr. Louise Mapleh Kpoto emphasized the campaign’s importance in ensuring every Liberian child is legally recognized and granted access to formal education.
“This campaign is a national step forward toward protecting children’s rights and securing their future through proper identification and education,” said Dr. Kpoto.
She noted that the Ministry of Health will lead the birth registration component in collaboration with health facilities across all 15 counties.
UNICEF Country Representative Andrew Brooks hailed the campaign as a significant step in advancing President Joseph Boakai’s mandate to integrate health, education, and legal identity for children.
“Without a birth certificate, a child remains invisible. This program ensures that every child is seen, counted, and served,” Brooks said.
He was joined by Gilles Fagninou, Director of UNICEF’s Regional Office for West and Central Africa, who also expressed support for the integrated approach.
Save the Children’s Country Representative, Mercy Wanjiku Gichuhi, praised the multi-sectoral nature of the initiative, pointing to its potential to bring thousands of out-of-school children—especially girls—into the education system.
“Our current school feeding program supports 95 schools. With this campaign, we expect a significant rise in enrollment and are prepared to expand our support to meet the increased demand,” Gichuhi said.
The campaign specifically targets out-of-school children, promotes age-appropriate school entry, and ensures timely and systematic birth registration as a pathway to education access.
The Ministry of Health reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with all stakeholders to achieve universal birth registration and inclusive education access, underscoring that no child should be left behind in Liberia’s national development efforts.
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