MYS Unveils 100-Day Scorecard -Ministry reaches 65,000 young people nationwide

MONROVIA – The Ministry of Youth and Sports’ 100-day scorecard reads as both achievement report and indictment of institutional decay. Its nationwide assessment, the first in nearly two decades, found youth centers dormant and six of seven vocational institutions inactive. Against that dismal baseline, the Ministry now claims approximately 65,000 young Liberians have already benefited from one or more government-supported programs. The figures signal ambition under the ARREST Agenda, but they also expose the structural inequalities separating urban and rural youth. Heavy donor partnerships with UNFPA and UNICEF underwrite much of the reported progress, raising questions of sustainability. The deeper test is whether reform momentum can outlast the political calendar that produced it. THE ANALYST’s George C. Flomo reports.

The Ministry of Youth and Sports (MYS) has unveiled an ambitious 100-day performance report highlighting wide-ranging institutional reforms, nationwide youth empowerment initiatives, and renewed investments in technical education and sports development. The report is aimed at expanding opportunities for young Liberians across the country.

Presenting the report Tuesday during the Ministry of Information’s regular press briefing, Acting Minister of Youth and Sports Hon. Laraamand S. Nyonton, speaking on behalf of Minister Atty. Cornelia W. Kruah, said the Ministry’s first 100 days have been marked by “assessment, reflection, reform, and action,” laying a strong foundation for sustainable youth development. Nyonton commended the Liberian media for its role in promoting transparency and accountability, emphasizing the Ministry’s commitment to keeping the public informed about government initiatives affecting the nation’s youth.

“Our first one hundred days have not been about celebration alone; they have been a period of assessment, reflection, reform and action,” Nyonton said. “Guided by empirical evidence and the findings of our nationwide assessment, we have implemented targeted reforms across youth development, sports administration, institutional governance, and technical and vocational education.”

Nationwide Assessment Findings

A major milestone during the period was the Ministry’s comprehensive assessment tour of all 15 counties, the first independent nationwide tour conducted by the Ministry in nearly 20 years. The exercise enabled officials to inspect youth and sports facilities while engaging directly with young people to better understand their aspirations, concerns, and expectations.

According to Nyonton, the consultations revealed contrasting realities across Liberia. While many young people, particularly in rural communities, continue to face unemployment, inadequate infrastructure, and limited access to opportunities, others expressed optimism about the country’s future despite prevailing economic challenges.

He said the findings exposed persistent disparities between urban and rural communities and reinforced the need for sustained investments in youth development. “The experiences reminded us that while government continues working to improve the lives of Liberians, significant structural inequalities still exist between urban and rural communities,” he noted.

The nationwide assessment also uncovered serious institutional weaknesses within the Ministry. Nyonton disclosed that many of the Ministry’s approximately 17 youth centers were either inactive, poorly maintained, or lacked adequate staffing. He further revealed that of the Ministry’s seven vocational training centers, only one was fully operational, while the others had remained largely inactive for nearly a decade.

He said government-owned youth facilities and equipment across several counties had suffered from years of neglect, weak management, and inadequate oversight. “These findings became the blueprint for a comprehensive institutional reform agenda,” he stated.

Institutional Reforms

As part of the reform process, the Ministry conducted an extensive review of its workforce and operational systems before recruiting 50 personnel to fill critical vacancies at headquarters, county offices, vocational institutions, and technical training centers. Among the most significant reforms highlighted was the establishment of the Ministry’s first fully functional Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate, designed to strengthen planning, accountability, data collection, and performance tracking nationwide.

The Ministry has also introduced stronger financial management and compliance systems while expanding its research capacity to ensure that policies and programs are guided by reliable data and evidence. In a move aimed at promoting inclusivity, Nyonton announced the operationalization of the Ministry’s Gender and Social Inclusion Unit, which has been provided office space, staffing, and institutional support to advance gender equality and increase the participation of persons living with disabilities in Ministry programs.

Youth Empowerment Drive

Turning to youth empowerment, Nyonton described the sector as a key pillar of the government’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development. He disclosed that the Ministry has launched five flagship youth empowerment initiatives across all 15 counties, focusing on education, vocational training, entrepreneurship, literacy, scholarships, civic engagement, employment, and youth participation in national development.

Through partnerships with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Livelihood Fund, and other development partners, the Ministry has directly reached nearly 8,000 young people through various intervention programs. Overall, more than 70,000 young Liberians have been targeted under the Ministry’s initiatives, with approximately 65,000 already benefiting from one or more government-supported programs nationwide, he said.

The Ministry has also graduated 253 participants from the former National Service Program, which has now been transformed into the National Youth Pathways Program. According to Nyonton, the new initiative has already recruited and deployed 1,150 young Liberians, significantly surpassing participation levels recorded under previous youth employment programs.

He further disclosed that preparations are at an advanced stage for the deployment of an additional 3,500 young people under the government’s Vacation Job Program, which is being implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour. The Acting Minister also highlighted targeted interventions for adolescent girls and young women.

Girls and Young Women

He said partnerships with UNFPA and UNICEF have enabled more than 2,866 girls and young women to enroll in empowerment programs focused on education, leadership development, life skills, and economic opportunities. In addition, approximately 1,600 out-of-school youth have been enrolled in the Ministry’s Community Literacy Program, which combines literacy education with practical vocational skills training.

Another initiative, the A4AD Program, supported by approximately US$200,000.00 (L$36,472,000.00) in funding, is currently providing integrated literacy and vocational skills training to about 5,000 young people in several counties. Meanwhile, the Youth and Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Program, funded by UNFPA with support exceeding US$166,000.00 (L$30,271,760.00), continues to provide peer education, counseling, violence prevention services, and life-skills training for adolescent girls and young women in Grand Bassa and Montserrado counties.

Concluding the presentation, Nyonton reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to ensuring that every young Liberian, regardless of geographical location or background, has access to education, skills development, employment opportunities, and meaningful participation in national development. He stressed that the Ministry’s first 100 days represent only the beginning of a broader transformation agenda aimed at building stronger institutions and creating sustainable opportunities for Liberia’s growing youth population.