Africa-Press – Liberia. Nimba County Education stakeholders last week concluded a daylong meeting to discuss the potential increase of the Education Budget within the National Budget.
The meeting, attended by various education actors from across Nimba, raised concerns about challenges within the education sector, including insufficient budget allocations for quality supplies, inadequate distribution of school resources, and transparency issues in supply management. Sectorial actors who were present at the meeting were District Education Officers (DEOs), Parents, Teachers Association (PTA) chairpersons, youth representatives, and student leaders. Others were the school board chair of Nimba, the County Education Officer (CEO), and others.
The purpose of the meeting was to engage lawmakers to advocate for an increase in the education budget, CEO Moses Dologbay said.
Joseph Mensahn, the PTA Coordinator for Nimba, cited several conditions that require budget increment, including a shortage of teachers, no safe drinking, no playground, and no library to enhance the education system in the country.
The Global Partnership for Education recommends a minimum education budget increase of 20 percent; however, it has been noted that the current allocation stands at 18 percent.
At the meeting, the stakeholders expressed the need for improved education funding to enhance youth education and urged the inclusion of private schools in the budget considerations.
Luogon Lah, Nimba Board Chairperson, said that he was glad that the call for an increment in the education budget was being reawakened.
“The school board is not functioning well due to the lack of a budget allotment from the government as it used to be,” he said. “The lack of budget completely strangulates our function.”
“We want the education budget to be improved to enhance better education for the youth or young people and also want private schools to be included,” said the youth representative at the meeting.
Concerns were raised about the collection of extra fees in schools, impacting public school students.
There are several fees collected from students during the registration besides what the government stipulated.
Some of the fees include CEO, DEO, and PTA fees, which are allegedly used for schools’ development.
Nearly all Nimba County education offices in Nimba were constructed with funding collected through extra fees in addition to registration fees. Some of these projects are yet to be completed, despite several years of collection from students.
At the end of the meeting, the 12 persons in attendance agreed to petition their lawmakers so as to push for the increment in the education budget.
The meeting attendees agreed to engage lawmakers to push for an increment in the education budget.
The stakeholders highlighted issues related to the implementation of the 2011 Education Acts and the need for better supervision through the division of Nimba into two county school systems.
Nimba School Board Chair explained that this section of the ACT has been disregarded, where employment of the DEO, CEO, and others starts now from the Ministry of Education before the school board can be informed.
“We want the school board to be included in all the education matters,” he said.
“It is also enshrined in the education act, that the focus person of PTA should be assigned in the office,” said one Serena, PTA focal person in Saclepea Education District 1.
Dologbay is calling for the division of Nimba into two county school systems to enhance better supervision.
He also wants an increment in the number of education districts to be added to the already 13 education districts.
Nimba has about 704 schools, including 485 public schools, 13 education districts, and an enrollment of 178,500 students, so it is difficult for one county education officer to provide effective supervision.
“If we have two school systems like what happened in Montserrado, it will fast-track supervision,” Dologbay said.
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