Use Education To Reduce Poverty

from All Africa

The Analyst (Monrovia)

NEWS

The Liberian government has been advised to strive to provide free education or a minimum cost education as a mean of reducing poverty in the country.

A Liberian national, Gester E. Murray advised that this will help promote national security, peace and development in our society.

Mr. Murray, Assistant Minister of Land and Mine and Energy made the disclosure yesterday at the Monrovia City Hall during the launch of the 'Kettehkumehnn Intellectual Forum' which is based on the campus of the University of Liberia (UL).

Speaking on the theme, "Statement on Educational Enlightenment", Mr. Murray said with education, independent judgment is assured and manipulation minimized and also provides road map top survive in a competing world of depleting resources.

He terms education as an international ticket and an indispensable asset for modern life, and so "let us all go after it individually and collectively," he added.

He noted that the higher a country illiteracy rate, the more its power base is emasculated, and the more vulnerable the it becomes to the Predator-prey relationship. If Liberia is to survive in the current global system of increasing competitiveness and rapid development, he advised that pragmatic and robust actions must be taken to increase the country's literacy mainly through expanded educational funding.

He revealed that lack of industrial development in any country leads to serious trade deficits, noting that countries in such category easily fall prey to Predator countries with Liberia serving as classic example. He reminded Liberians that the International Community operates on a system of power relations in military, economic and psychological, among others.

With such system, he said a nation's ability to impact on the world's system to reap the much needed resources for its survival is ultimately linked to its qualitative population and productive labor force.

He said the protection of a state's vital national interest like political independence , territorial integrity and provision of adequate social welfare for its citizenry are tied to its qualitative population and productive labor force.

He stated that Liberia can only transcend the dark ages of high rates of poverty, illiteracy, and unemployment by initiating a massive educational campaign.

"We must develop and implement a pragmatic educational policy that will ensure education for all at all levels.

The policy must focus on Science & Technology, Business & Commerce, conflict prevention and resolution, Social Science and Foreign relations and the building of vocational careers." He stressed.

Also speaking at the program was Montserrado County Representative Dr. Kettehkumuehn E. Murray in whose honor the forum was named, who 'talked tough' of the forum's future activities in the country.

He mandated the forum to deliberate on issues and developments of national and international concerns without fears or favors in the Supreme Interest of the Liberian people.

He pledged supports to the forum and encouraged some of his colleagues to help support the forum because as he put it, the forum will deliberate on lots of issue including the reported sale of the National Cultural Center and increases in the prices of basic commodities in the country.

Chairmpersons Eugene Sheriff and Henry B. Sackie, Senior Class President in- waiting, among other officials of the forum talked tough and promised to ensure respectability, accountability, and transparency in the management and deliberations within the Forum.