Department of General Education & Ministry
Annual Report
2010
Programs/Projects Implemented
United Methodist School System
We continued the on-going process of monitoring and assessing each United Methodist school in Liberia. Since the Annual Conference in February 2010, we visited 24 schools in 12 United Methodist Church Districts and 10 counties. Currently, 72 elementary schools, 15 junior high schools and 15 senior high schools are operational.
The following United Methodist schools (UMS) opened in September 2010:
J.J. Roberts Memorial Siafa-Keh Town UMS, Grand Cape Mount, St. Paul River District
Leslie Walter Thomas UMS, Virginia, St. Paul River District
Zwedru UMS Grand Gedeh District
New Georgia UMS, Monrovia District
Garjay UMS, St John River District
Uniforms
As we move toward standardization, the Board of General Education in consultation with Bishop Innis signed a Memorandum of Understanding with J & B Enterprises, Inc. to produce uniforms for the United Methodist School System beginning with schools in Montserrado and Margibi Counties for the 2010/2011 school year.
Student Health Insurance
The Student Health Insurance contract with Mutual Benefits Assurance Company was reviewed by Counselor Tweh and approved by the Management Team. After being signed by the Bishop, the contract will be in effect for our students in Margibi and Monserrado Counties for the 2010/2011 school year. A representative from the insurance company attended a meeting with the principals of Margibi and Montserrado Counties on June 28, 2010 to review benefits.
Principals Meeting
The principals from our schools in Montserrado and Margibi counties attended an all-day meeting at the G. V. Gibson United Methodist High School in Kakata on August 27, 2010. At this meeting the principals were informed of the Board’s discussion on principals serving at a given school for no more than 4 years. On November 6, 2010, Jacob Davies conducted a financial training for United Methodist Schools. 29 persons from 14 schools attended this training.
Teacher Training
The Ministry of Education granted our school system 100 slots for “C” Certificate Training. We are encouraging our teachers to participate in MOE’s In-Service “C” Certificate Training. This is a year-long training with cluster groups meeting on Saturdays.
Bunny Wolfe came to Monrovia with a team of 4 elementary school teachers from the Illinois Great Rivers Conference. The teachers conducted a 2-week teacher training focused on phonics and reading. The training was held Tuesday – Friday, July 13-23, 2010 at J. J. Roberts United Methodist High School in Sinkor. Teachers of nursery through 3rd grade from 7 United Methodist schools in the Monrovia area participated in the training.
Norwegian Mission Alliance
The International Director and Development Consultant from the Norwegian Mission Alliance visited Monrovia in June 2010 to discuss a 5 year plan to:
· Construct schools
· Construct staff housing
· Train teachers
· Train local school boards
· Train PTA’s.
Jonathan Kaipay wrote the project document for submission to the Norwegian Mission Alliance. This project will be carried out in collaboration with MOE using the CODEVPRO (Community Development Program) model of community involvement. The Director joined the CODEVPRO staff in conducting community training in three communities.
Nutrition Improvement Program
The Nutrition Improvement Program is sponsored by the Edenton Street United Methodist Church. During the 2010/2011 Academic Year, Rev. Benjamin Bangura and Barwain Zayzay provided schools with agricultural training support, tools and seeds. They also continued to do moringa advocacy.
Mr. Zayzay worked in St. Paul River District with Anderson Weamah UMS in Bomi County and the new J. J. Roberts Memorial Siafa-Keh Town Elementary School in Grand Cape Mount County.
Rev. Bangura worked in the St. John River District at the Redbita UMS, Garjay UMS, Adan Ann Wright UMS and J. F. Yancy UMS.
UMCOR sponsored 2 beekeeping workshops in Grand Cape Mount County. The workshops were held in Farlee from August 9 to 16, and Latiah from August 16 to 20, 2010. There were 20 community participants at each workshop in addition to Rev. Bangura and Mr. Zayzay.
2 Solar driers are now in use to dry moringa leaves before grinding.
Achievements
Construction/Renovation
Operation Classroom contributed US$16,500.00 toward building an annex at the Bishop Arthur F. Kulah United Methodist High School in Virginia, St. Paul River District.
The Illinois Great Rivers Conference provided funds and a work team to complete an annex at the I. J. Williams UMS in Smell No Taste, Kakata Farmington District.
Harriette E. Bailey UMS at the Judith Craig Children’s Village added 10th grade in September 2010 and is constructing an annex.
Janice Lee Mclain United Methodist Junior High School in Marshall City received the following support from International Resource Strategies Liberia Energy, Inc.:
· Painted inside and outside of building
· Constructed hand pump
· New door and ceiling for office
· Installed shelves and door for reading room
· Changed 5 door locks.
Bishop Innis dedicated the Neepu Community UMS (St. John River District) on July 6, 2010 and the Siaffa-Keh Town UMS (St. Paul River District) on July 16, 2010.
Policies
The revised Employee Handbook, Local School Board Policies and Student Handbook were distributed to schools.
Vocational Training Program
The Agricultural and Industrial Training Bureau (AITB) conducted training for 25 vocational teachers from 9 United Methodist high schools. Edward Harris, Vocational Training Unit Coordinator, was responsible for the logistics of this one-month training that took place in Gbarnga during August 2010. It was the second phase of the training conducted by AITB in July 2009. Funds from UMCOR, Swords Turned into Plowshares, Operation Classroom and MOE were used to cover the cost of this training.
Financial Information
Ministry of Education (MOE)
MOE granted the Department L$804,860 for the 1st semester of the 2009/2010 school year. The grant was received on January 13, 2010.
We received a check for US$3,098.00 and a check for L$325,374.00 on July 19, 2010. Our proposal to MOE includes office supplies, salary support, travel to schools, teacher training and school building repair. The Department expended these funds and submitted a proposal for 1st semester of the 2010/2011 school year.
Scholarships
Students at the following schools were given Liberia Annual Conference (LAC) scholarships to complete the 2009/2010 school year:
· Neepu Community UMS (St. John River District) US$400.00
· Foequelleh UMS (Joequelleh District) L$6,840
· Jarmue UMS (Joequelleh District) L$12,900
· Zekepa UMS (Tappita District) US$154.00
· Brumskine UMS (Grand Bassa District) US$3,231.00
This is in addition to scholarships that were granted at the beginning of each semester including US$13,203 for 104 students who attended UMU second semester, 2009/2010 Academic Year and US$5,025.70 paid toward the bill for 90 students who attended UMU first semester, 2010/2011 Academic Year.
DGEM is requesting that District Superintendents submit scholarship applications for the 2011/2012 school year to our office by July 30, 2011.
World of God Scholarship Program transferred funds to the DGEM scholarship account for:
Tubman-Gray UMS – US $2060.00 (April 2010) and US$575.00 (June 2010)
Hope for the Deaf UMS - US$1,015.00 (June 2010).
The Methodist Church in Sweden continued to send financial support to Hope for the Deaf UMS. Funding is sent three times per year. US$5430 was disbursed and additional US$4,100 was sent for Hope for the Deaf UMS in December, 2010.
Constraints
The Board of General Education and the Department have determined to set in place a salary scale and retirement policy for the employees of our schools, but this is difficult to accomplish. The Government of Liberia has mandated that elementary school is free and compulsory. It is now difficult for parents in the rural areas to pay for school and our schools are not able to support themselves. In addition, the Government has set a salary scale for its employees. Teachers in United Methodist schools would like to receive comparable salaries.
Many of our schools are in need of repair and materials, but the logistics of reaching schools is challenging. The Department is grateful to Bishop Innis for the donation of his Land Cruiser to DGEM. Over US$6,000.00 was spent to make the vehicle road worthy. US$3,400 received from the United Methodist Church in Sweden for the purchase of a new vehicle was used to finance this repair project but the vehicle is still not in good repair. The Department is in need of a reliable vehicle to reach all our schools. The agriculturists also faced challenges in reaching the schools on motor bike.
A Cabinet decision to give all district scholarship funds directly to the District Superintendents has left the Department with a deficit in paying scholarship bills. In order to address this concern, the Department will only award scholarships based on available undesignated funds.
The purpose of several of our visits to schools was to investigate financial mismanagement.
Respectfully submitted by,
Helen Roberts-Evans
Director, DGEM
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