Last weekend was a moment of jubilation and celebration amongst citizens and residents of Bong and Nimba Counties where the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Mr. Nathaniel Farlo McGill, dished out what essentially amounts to free education packages for primary and secondary students. The initiative which months ago was planted in the Central Liberian City of Gbarnga comes to crown the Weah-led Government’s free tuition for public universities and colleges in the country, the first ever in the history of Liberia. Since President Weah’s ascendency, his administration continues to weightlift first-time programs, including the education sector, which is further bolstered with free public exams, digital registration at the University of Liberia, amongst others. As The Analyst reports, the Chief of Office Staff of the President, was swarmed by an avalanche of women and children and youth as he unveiled additional education relief for the suffering people of Bong, Nimba and Margibi counties.
In addition to its free tuition policy for public universities and colleges, the administration of George Manneh Weah has begun to spread a similar action to secondary students—something that could effectively end up into full free education in the country.
Mid this year, the Government dispatched a team to Gbarnga to support suffering students with cash
Scholarship aid in fulfillment of President Weah’s promise to the community during his nationwide county tour.
Following the dishing out of millions of dollars to schools to defray the tuition of students in various districts of Bong County, the key driver of the policy, Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Nathaniel F. McGill, increase the volume of the scholarship for several other communities.
Now, the Minister with apparent instruction from the President of Liberia is reaching out to additional counties, this time Margibi and Nimba Counties with the financial aid scheme which is popularly hailed by many impoverished parents who could not afford the costs of their children’s education.
Over the weekend, Minister McGill who is chairing the Government’s Cabinet in the absence of the President now abroad, launched a full scale free education initiative for public schools in Margibi, Bong and Nimba Counties to the delight of the parents, students, school administrators, citizens and residents in the those counties.
On Friday and Saturday, Mr. Nathaniel Falo McGill, who stormed the three benefiting counties amid huge welcome and celebratory ceremonies, adorned by students, parents and residents of those areas, also used the occasions to lead the campaign outreach for the candidate of the ruling CDC in Bong County Mr. Melvin J. Salvage before veering his way to Nimba County where an affiliate of the CDC, the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction(MDR), has candidate, Mr. Francis Maweah, contesting the bi-election.
The arrival of Minister McGill and entourage in Bong County accompanied by Representative Melvin J. Cole was received by hundreds of citizens to receive the CDC strong man with a rousing welcome during which he launched government free education scholarship program. He used the time to campaign for the CDC candidate, Mr. Melvin Salvage.
At the scholarship launch, Mr. McGill announced the amount of 35 million Liberian dollars and told the audience that the government under President George Manneh Weah places high premium on education and as such the government will make sure that no child is left behind in the quest for quality education in Liberia.
Besides the massive jubilation, the event was emotionally charged as some parents who had little hope of having their children in schools this year were rekindled. The Margibi, Bong, and Nimba residents celebrated and lavished praises on President Weah and his government.
“This is unbelievable. Tears are in my eyes,” said Ma Susannah Flomo, single mother of three children. “For two years, 3 of my children dropped out of high school because of no money but thank God for President Weah for this great help. I know he really has this country at heart. May God bless him and give him wisdom to lead this country.”
Min. McGill who was repeatedly described as a practical and grassroots politician, after listening to other speakers at the program in Margibi and Bong Counties, departed for Nimba where he was met on arrival by Senators Prince Yormie Johnson and Jeremiah Kpan Koon and other lawmakers and officials of the county.
Throngs of cheering supporters of the ruling CDC and other citizens lined the main streets, to receive Minister McGill and party driving in a long convoy.
In his brief welcome statement, Senator Jeremiah Kpan Koon told McGill and party that the people of Nimba were excited to receive the delegation and are grateful for the numerous development projects being undertaken currently in the county and the others in the pipeline for the good of the people.
He named the ongoing construction of the Sanniquellie-Loguatuo Highway, the Ganta-Saclepea Highway, the planned establishment of two vocational and technical schools to be sited in Ganta and Sanniquellie to help the youth with skills acquisition, etc.
He said the government under President Weah is truly committed to uplifting the citizens of the country and Nimba stands to benefit from whatever is being planned for the rest of the country.
McGill, thrilled by the welcome he received, told the massive crowd at the program that the government in its wisdom is putting priority on education and will not relent to make sure education is accessible to every school going child in the country.
He said what has been achieved in the education sector by this government is unprecedented and the records are there to see.
He then announced the amount of 50 million Liberian dollars to support the cause of cost-free education for public schools throughout the county.
Minister McGill told the audience that the scheme will be replicated in the other counties as a demonstration and commitment of the government’s promise to make education accessible to its citizens at all levels.
He said he was excited that both the government and other well-meaning Liberians and foreigners alike have shown spirited enthusiasm to partner with the government to deliver one of the cardinal dividends of democracy, education to the people without cost attached to it.
Meanwhile while launching the campaign for the candidate representing the MDR, Francis Maweah, McGill told the people of Nimba to turn out en mass to vote for Francis Maweah whom he termed to be the best candidate among the rest in the race.
He said an additional lawmaker from the county who will be in support of the ruling establishment will assist the government with pushing through the needed legislation that will bring meaningful development to the county.
Earlier arriving in Kakata, Margibi County on the government scholarship launch tour, Minister McGill was received on arrival by lawmakers from the county as well as a mammoth crowd of hundreds of jubilant students, school administrators and citizens, Minister McGill announced an initial amount of 20 million Liberian dollars to pay for cost of tuition and other fees in public schools throughout the county.
He said the initiative was intended to boost the efforts of the government for the education sector so that every child of school going age in public schools will be able to attend schools without any cost to their parents or guardians.
“I want to tell you that the government you elected cares for you unlike the other noisemakers. The time has come for the government to do good things in this country. There will be development that will impact on the lives of the people and you will begin to see them for yourselves”, Minister McGill said amid thunderous cheers from the audience.
The free education scheme, many commentators noted, if maintained and sustained will go a long way in alleviating the plight of parents and students who have been enduring to acquire education.
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