54 years later- Madina Public School Gets Library In Grand Cape Mount County
April 11,2023 – Kids Educational Engagement Project (KEEP) dedicated its 31st Reading Room at Medina Public School, Grand Cape Mount County.
The dedication ceremony was attended by chiefs and elders of Medina, the Assistant Minister for Basic and Secondary Education, Madam Felecia Doe- Sumah, the County Education Officer Hon. Elijah Freeman, and District Education Officer Hon. Mambu Golafale.
Established in 1969, the school currently has almost 800 students and in 2022, topped the County’s results in the regional exams.
In early 2023, KEEP embarked on the project with the principal support of the Open Society Foundation and other partners. Despite all the challenges faced by the school, the tenacity of the school’s administration has seen a steady rise and improvement in the quality of education being delivered to the students.
Making remarks at the dedication, the Assistant Minister for Basic Education at the Ministry of education, Madam Felecia Doe- Sumah appreciated KEEP Liberia for the creation of reading rooms across the Country and thanked the organization for its contributions in the education sector. She also encouraged the parents to send their children to school and not give encourage early marriage of their children. The Minister further encouraged the parents to ensure that children make use of the reading. She told the parents that the habits of sitting one place all day and not doing anything will not bring results.
“The type of encouragement we give our children will enable them to learn. You may not be able to read but You should be able to encourage the child to read a book and explain the story to you. If he/she can’t read, but there is a sister or brother in the community or family who reads, that person should be encouraged to help the child. The encouragement we give our children will help them to read better.” Minister Doe- Suma stated.
Making remarks on behalf of KEEP Liberia, Mrs. Brenda Brewer Moore, who is the founder and Executive Director, encouraged the school’s authority to make sure the students utilize the Reading Room by opening its doors regularly and the books in the room are carefully and properly managed. Mrs. Moore said the room is sponsored by 23 organizations and corporate institutions. She also encouraged the students to make use of the facility by building in themselves the culture of reading. Madam Moore further pledged her support to continue working with the school if the first phase of the project which is the reading is properly developed. She mentioned that KEEP will trained teachers on reading strategies and provide computers literacy program based on how serious the use the room.
“ I heard this school topped WASSCE last year and I am happy they have reading room now. I will also say that, I will not do more until I see the first phase of this project which is the reading room is properly taken of. I do not have any political interest! I am not running for representative or senator even. Please allow the student to make the room their friend. We will train teachers on reading strategies to enable them get some basic knowledge on how to use the room. It was not an easy task to get the money, we cook jollof rice and chicken and we call people to support our work. Don’t use the room as teacher’s lounge.”. Madam Moore lamented.
The room brings to 31 the number of reading facilities KEEP Liberia has established across 11 counties in Liberia and was made possible through the support of well meaning Liberians, companies and other local nonprofit organizations such as: OSIWA, International Bank Liberia Limited, Activa Insurance, GT Bank, FrontPage Africa, Insurance Company of Africa, Ufound Solutions, LIPACE, ORWOCH, Bility Development Foundation, Office of the Vice president, Dan McNaughton Foundation, Cummings Africa Foundation, PricewaterHouse Coopers (PwC), Africa Motors Service Center, Petra Resources, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Foundation, ActionAid Liberia, LISCR, etc. The construction and furnishing of the room cost Ten Thousand Five Hundred United States Dollars ($10,500) and stocked with a total of 3,499 reading books with estimated value at Seventeen Thousand five hundred ($17,500.00). This puts the total cost to Twenty-Eight Thousand United States Dollars. (US$28,000).
KEEP is a registered charity in Liberia and the USA (#821262396) which supports various educational activities in Liberia with a mission to provide various resources that would facilitate access to primary education by engaging with parents, community leadership, establish community structures, and to promote social justice and development of vulnerable children and youth by strengthening their capacities.
