By: G Bennie Bennie Johnson
The first primary public school in the township of Tobeyville, Harper District, Maryland County, was built by the People’s Republic of China and given to the authorities by the embassy close to Monrovia.
On Friday, January 27, 2023, in Congo Town, Monrovia, the signing and transfer ceremony was held in the conference room of the Chinese Embassy. Along with notable county residents, it gathered a number of government representatives.
The newly built Tobeyville Primary Public School is a gift from the People’s Republic of China through its Embassy to the residents of Maryland County, the Chinese Ambassador to Liberia, Ren Yisheng, said in remarks. He emphasized the value of education for children, who he said represent a country’s future.
With one teacher’s office, five classrooms, three bathrooms, and additional facilities to accommodate at least 100 children, the school had a floor space of 187.6 square meters. He estimated that the project will cost $70,000 in total, with CHICO Liberia providing $10,000 of that total.
Representative P. Mike Jurry visited Ambassador Yisheng about two years ago and raised a standing request for the Chinese Government to consider aiding in the construction of a primary school. This was shortly after Ambassador Yisheng arrived in Liberia as the 6th Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Liberia since the end of the civil war in 2003.
Representative P. Mike Jurry’s request was handed back to China, according to Ambassador Yisheng, with encouraging recommendations. The request’s approval with a budget of $60,000 was confirmed in the start of 2022.
In his subsequent remarks, he underlined that one of the school’s five classrooms was provided by CHICO Liberia and described the building of the school as a continuous effort to accommodate more kids in the future.
He gave the Representative Jury his word that the Chinese Embassy would continue to collaborate with his district going forward to promote the growth of the school, including the addition of new space and furniture like tables and chairs.
The envoy continued by stating that from the founding of their diplomatic mission in February 1977, China and Liberia have been close friends and have supported one another.
He went on to say that since the end of the civil war, the two nations’ exchanges have made historic advances in trade and commerce, security, education, and the economy, and he gave the assurance that more projects are on the way. For instance, among other things, he gave names to the 14th Military Hospital’s two laboratories and two overhead bridges.
The construction of the public primary school in the town, according to P. Mike Jurry, a representative for Harper District in Maryland County, seemed to be a great opportunity to stop the extremely vulnerable children from engaging in any activities they may have been engaging in in the past during the time they were supposed to be in school.
The existence of a public primary school, in my opinion, gives opportunities for children to grow into their potential and increases their chances of being effective future leaders. The school will give kids in New Kru Town, Maryland the opportunity to grow into future leaders in society based on the principles of fairness.
For the first time ever, Tobeyville’s kids will have access to an organized environment thanks to the preschool. This kind of early childhood experience in school, he argued, should be provided to every child.
The Tobeyville Primary School in New Kru Town, according to the legislator, is widely regarded as a justifiable platform for providing equity and opportunities to the incredibly vulnerable youngsters growing up in the neighborhood to become the people of their aspirations.
“I say thank you, Ambassador Yisheng,” he concluded, speaking for the residents of Tobeyville Township and the local administration. Please thank the People’s Republic of China’s administration for everything.
Representative P. Mike Jurry was followed by Maryland County Development Superintendent Reuben Scott, who applauded the Chinese Embassy and CHICO Liberia for the initiative and stated that the Tobeyville Primary School is a great help to the densely populated township of Tobeyville and the Harper District of Maryland County.
The managing director of CHICO, Liberia, Wu Zhenjiao, also spoke, saying his organization is honored to have the chance to contribute to the creation of the Tobeyville Primary School.
Although the facility is not a costly significant construction project, Mr. Zhenjiao noted that CHICO made every effort to provide the classrooms on time and in good condition. He stated that they recognize the value of the school for the community and the children in the area.
“We all understand the importance of education to the growth of the individual and the nation.
According to our observations, the country as a whole, but notably outside of the greater CHICO, has a severe lack of educational infrastructure.
