Liberia, World Bank Sign USD 47M IDA Grant to Improve Secondary Education

Hon. samuel D. Tweah Jr. sign IDA Grant agreement with Liberia World Bank Country Director Hon.Pierre Laporte

Monrovia, Liberia - The Government of Liberia represented by Finance and Development Planning Minister Samuel D. Tweah Jr., and the World Bank thru its Liberia’s Country Director, Pierre Laporte, on Friday July 19, 2019, signed a grant financing agreement for Improving Results in Secondary Education (IRISE) Project.

The IRISE project takes a system-based approach to address some foundational issues and challenges facing the secondary level of education in the country. The grant will focus on improving the quality of secondary education services, especially for adolescent girls.

Improving Results in Secondary Education project is important because it will contribute to improving Liberia’s human capital base, which is critical to the development of the country, says World Bank Liberia Country Director Pierre Laporte at the signing ceremony.

He disclosed that secondary education not only enables individuals to further enhance their learning, but it also makes them more productive and, in turn, this increases the stock of more qualified labor to better meet the growing needs of modern day labor market needs.

The WB Country Director said secondary education also provides the foundation to enable young people to further their professional careers during their life time.

Prof. D. Ansu Sonii, Liberia’s Minister of Education thanked the Bank for the grant, and said it will bring about transformation to the country’s education sector. Prof. Sonii stated that with the grant, over 3,000 girls from grades 9-12 will have the opportunity to remain in school.

The Education Minister also spoke about more emphasis being placed on Early Childhood Development, because doing so will ensure that kids have strong foundation in education.

Finance and Development Planning Minister Samuel D. Tweah Jr., said President George M. Weah prioritizes education. Minister Tweah explained that with qualified instructors in the classroom at secondary level, the sector will experience real transformation. He believes that Liberia can turn the corner in education through innovation.