Zwedru City – The significance of early childhood development and education has resurfaced in Grand Gedeh County as some people say it would be a factor to decide which candidates get their votes on October 10.
The issue emerged after a trainer of Liberia’s Ministry of Education working in the county urged representative candidates of the county to include and prioritize early childhood education and development in their respective platforms.
Speaking to LocalVoicesLiberia, Dawoma Bordo said to transform Liberia’s education system early childhood education must be revitalized because it is a fundamental pillar of learning that sets the basis for the holistic growth and development of every educational system.
“We need to make decisions in the interest of our children,” Bordo said. “If we consider our children as the future leaders, we need to make laws that will increase the quality of early childhood development and education.”
He said the government should make reasonable budgetary allotments to ignite the necessary progress that will include community awareness, early simulations, deworming and vaccinations to enhance the full development of pupils at the early stage.
“I think it is time for electorates to evaluate or ask our candidates to know their plans for the early childhood development in Liberia”, he said, adding that legislators play a key role to ensure a significant portion of the national budget is allotted to early childhood development.
Some Grand Gedians (people of Grand Gedeh County) say they will scrutinize candidates that prioritize childhood education and development and decide who to vote on October 10.
“Now I have noticed that our children these days cannot even pronounce a word correctly because most of the schools are not concentrating on early childhood development especially our government,” said Pastor Sam Gwien, a resident of Zoe Bush community in Zwedru.
Pastor Gwien, a father of four children that attend both private and government schools, said he will vote candidates who have early childhood development on their platforms.
“If Liberian kids must be developed, there is a need that all aspirants prioritize early childhood development in their platform,” he said.
Another resident of Zwedru City, Theresa Wah, a mother of six children, wants candidates to sign development commitment before they are elected into office to ensure they don’t abandon the plan after being elected.
“We need to start engaging the government and aspirants in this campaign period to start prioritizing the childhood education during the budget debate in the house of the legislature,” added Prince Saydee, a father of two.
Some teachers of elementary schools in the county expressed regret that the government is “overlooking and down playing” early childhood program in the country.
“This is the reason why most children nowadays in Liberia cannot pronounce and speak well because their foundation was not well built in school during their time in the nursery,” a teacher said.
Rev. Harrison Darwolo, county education officer (CEO), said to implement early childhood education and development it would require massive support in the national budget to enhance the existing education structure.
“So, I urge every voter to look out there and elect people who mean well for our children by including their needs in their platforms,” he said, calling for Liberians to request the allotment of 25 percent of the national budget to early childhood development.
Report By: Moses Geply
