News

A delegation from Liberia’s Ministry of Education and University of Liberia this week visited the University of Botswana to assess progress made by Liberian students.

The delegation which was led by the Assistant Minister for Teacher Education, Mr Gayflor Washington, was also on a mission to explore other collaborative avenues through which the University of Botswana can assist with further development of the education system in Liberia.

Speaking during a meeting with the University of Botswana management and faculty heads, Mr Washington expressed satisfaction with the hospitality accorded their students. He assured the University of Botswana management of continued relationship following a meeting with nine final year Liberian master’s students in the Faculty of Education.

“I would like to affirm that the relationship with UB will be strengthened as completing students continue to make a difference in Liberia. Therefore, we will bring more students,” emphasized Mr Washington.

He added that given the foundation UB laid, the education system in Liberia was set to improve, noting that civil war was no longer an excuse for not developing the country.

One of the members of the delegation was a UB alumna, Dean of the Williams V.S. Tubman College of Education, Dr Cecelia Cassell, who has launched an early childhood programme that she learnt about while at UB. She said early childhood learning was a challenge that had a bearing on the outcome of secondary education examinations, especially for the girl child.

Dr Cassell observed that staff exchange from the University of Botswana Early childhood Lab would help improve their early education programme.

Meanwhile, Vice Chancellor, Professor David Norris, invited official from the Ministry of Education in Liberia to return and explore other avenues especially at the Faculty of Engineering and Technology as well as the recently launched Innovation Center. Professor Norris reiterated that Africa’s problems can only be solved through research in Africa through university collaborations.

Deputy Vice Chancellor Teaching and Learning, Professor Georges Ekosse, said UB would work on improving the learning environment for international students at the University of Botswana.

Prof Ekosse added that collaboration with Liberia should also expand to areas of Research and Innovation, Student and staff exchanges to further enhance interaction. In addition, he said as African institutions of higher learning they should deliver beneficial solutions to mutual challenges.

The visit by the Liberian delegation follows a long-standing agreement between the governments of Botswana and Liberia through which the University of Botswana continues to offer expertise to the Liberian government on transforming its education system. Relations with Liberia were further enhanced through a working visit by a delegation led by Professor Norris last year.

The nine Liberian students are set to return home by end June 2023. The group started the Masters degree programs as part of an initiative to capacitate Liberia’s human capital development and to transform the country’s education system.