In Liberia many students were forced out of classrooms due
to the new policy made by the government. Originally the government school’s
classrooms allowed over one hundred children per class because of the highly
populous areas in the Liberia, one in particular being Monrovia. The new policy proposed that the classroom
consist of a maximum of fifty-five children per class and claimed this would
enhance learning for the children. Many
students this coming school year had been rejected from the school due to the
policy leaving many children out of school.
The parents were in uproar over the policy and protested the new policy.
Previously the government of Liberia promised free compulsory education. The parents want education for their children
and as the article mentioned they are tired of illiteracy among the country. Also the government policy of Free and
Compulsory Education for public school for primary and junior was in effect and
the parents felt as if that was being contradicted by not allowing their
children the right to education. The parents felt that the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights was violated through this new-found policy because
it claims “Everyone has the right to education” also in 2000 they adopted six
of the eight developmental goals and two most prominent frameworks were in the
field of education. Many parents do not
have the money to send their children to private schools and felt that new
schools should be built before placing this policy into effect.
Through
reading the article on “Liberia: Several Students Risk Not Being in School”, I
can see how many social problems will arise through this policy. The country of
Liberia has a problem with illiteracy and their children are not getting
properly educated is going to cause further illiteracy within the country.
Also, the children will not be in schools, how does this affect the parents and
employment? Who will watch the children? Will one of their parents sacrifice
their jobs to watch after the children?
Another issue is if the government does not change this policy and build
more schools does that mean that many children will grow up in poverty when
they could have had an education that would give them more chance for
employment opportunities. Educating a
country is important to the development of the country economical and
politically. Educating only half the
population isn’t helping solve inequality in the country.
Sarah Vestrat
9/12/2013
10:16 PM
http://allafrica.com/stories/201309100743.html
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