KONOWROKEN, June 15 (LINA) – William V. S. Tubman University professor, Wollor Emmanuel Topor, has said rural education is critical and has a direct impact on rural income and development.
Delivering keynote address at this year’s graduation ceremony of the Webbo Rural Teacher Training Institute in Konowroken, River Gee County, Dr. Topor opined that Liberia’s high illiteracy and poor economic performance were the factors that fueled the 14-year civil conflict.
He observed that as it is today, history could be repeated as the country’s literacy is dropping significantly, especially amongst rural dwellers in this 21st Century.
« Indicators for such claims are the high rate of school dropouts, lesser opportunities for school-going age in having access to quality and affordable primary education, broken homes – the source of children to stay in the streets, illicit drugs and alcoholism and the list could go on, » he added.
“The responsibility of our government, like any other government,” he said, “is to reduce poverty among its citizens,” adding that in the absence of an appropriate tool, education remains the best instrument for effective and efficient mobility for the vast number of people within the society.
« While the elites or the so-called educated people (who most are square pegs in round holes) continue to wrongly use education as a weapon in favor of corruption by exploiting the massive illiterates – milking the poor malnourished cows for their conspicuous consumption, telling this story is for future presentation, » the professor noted.
The Tubman University former Dean of the College of Agriculture believes that unless Liberian children are well taught, they will not have the capability to adapt to socio-economic changes that are required for them to compete globally.
« We all know the consequences of this as the country isn’t self-sufficient in food production. It is simple, we cannot feed ourselves, » he added.
“Though the government has done extremely well to employ more teachers, construct and renovate several schools across the country, Liberia’s pre- and pos-war institutions have no significant difference due to limited qualified teachers, adequate school buildings, sufficient learning materials, incentives and the lack of willingness by trained teachers to take assignment in rural communities,” Dr. Topor observed.
He added that the Zorzor Rural Teacher Training Institute (ZRTTI), Kakata Rural Teacher Training Institute (KRTTI) and the Webbo Rural Teacher Training Institute (WRTTI) were instituted with the desire to supply well trained teachers, especially in the countryside of Liberia.
But, he explained, the Webbo Rural Teacher Training Institute was faced with some challenges for which the facilities were used for high school and residence for the Peace Corp volunteers in years back.
« So to you the graduates, you’re all valuable assets to the development of current and future generations. It’s therefore anticipated that you’re to go back to your assigned schools to meet societal expectations through the knowledge you obtained from here.
“However, while meeting societal expectation, you need to lower your own expectations because you will also face some challenges along the way, » he admonished the graduates.
Dr. Topor lauded faculty members of WRTTI for the « difficulties » they went through to harmonize all the mismatch of teachers and students to have completed the curriculum to award graduates the certificates.
He made the statement Friday, June 10, at the occasion making the graduation of Cohort 11 of the Webbo Rural Teacher Training Institute in Konowroken, River County.
The institution graduated 36 pre-service teachers -35 males, one female under its « C » certificate program.
This means the WRTTI has graduated 979 teachers since its establishment in 2008, including 849 male and130 females.
Currently, about 87 candidates from various counties in the Southeast and elsewhere have written the 2019-2020 Entrance and Placement exams of the Webbo Rural Teachers Training Institute (WRTTI) for possible admission.
Until 2021, the institution suspended major academic activities due to the lack of logistics coupled with the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.
WRTTI, located in Webbo, River Gee County, is one of Liberia’s three such institutions, including the Zorzor Teachers Training Institute (ZRTTI) and Kakata Teachers Training Institute (KRTTI) established to produce qualified prospective classroom instructors with a “C” Certificate for primary schools.
Langston Joe Wilson, Maryland County Correspondent
