-Children in Nimba County yearn for education
BY: Shallon S.Gonlor
NIMBA COUNTY — Like many other African countries, Liberia is confronted with extreme poverty and this has reflected on the lives of children. Hundreds of children in the West African nation still lack access to education, adequate healthcare and several other intrinsic necessities.
Undoubtedly, the demeaning display of the struggles faced by children in rural Liberia is a vivid testament to the countless challenges African children face. This d has made hundreds of children in Nimba County, the second most populated county (Political subdivision) in Liberia, as hundreds of children are decrying academic poverty (Lack of access to education). These children, who were abandoned by their fathers and living with single mothers, are now forced to mine sand in order to survive.
During a press conference on June 12, 2024, Minister Gbeme Horace-Kollie of the Ministry of Gender Children and Social Protection shared the results of a 2022 UNICEF survey, revealing that an estimated 126,702 children in Liberia are living on the streets without access to education.
A recent investigation by WomenVoices Newspaper at a sand mining base in Sanniquellie, Nimba County, uncovered the harsh reality faced by vulnerable women and children. These individuals are engaged in physical labor, including throwing shovels, digging, and washing sand, in order to make ends meet. The abuses documented at the site are numerous, including poor hygiene, lack of education, inadequate food and water, and rampant child labor.
Children as young as 7 years old spoke out about their experiences, revealing that instead of attending school, they spend their days helping their mothers mine sand. Nancy Smith, a 14-year-old, shared her story of being unable to attend school due to financial constraints, as her single mother struggles to support her family of six children.
With primary (Government schools) fees in Liberia ranging from $500 to $1,500 Liberian dollars per semester, many single parents simply cannot afford to send their children to school. The cycle of poverty and lack of education perpetuates itself, as children are forced to forego their education in order to help their families survive.
Liberia grapples with widespread corruption and extreme poverty, the future of the country’s youth hangs in the balance. Like many other out of school children in Sanniquellie, Nancy Smith, 14, contended further that she has no time to play and even rights as a child living in high levels of poverty and burdens surrounding her single mothers, noting that helping to mine sand to put food on their table is the only alternative for her.
Among children aged 5 to 17 in Liberia, 40.5 percent are engaged in work and 29.5 percent are involved in hazardous occupations, according to the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services — LISGIS (2021).bLike little Nancy, 13-year-old Helen Larmah narrated her untold story leaving out of early childhood education and development.
Helen Larmah laminated that her dream and future of acquiring quality education to contribute to her country, Liberia has been unrealistic, and buried by the deadly poverty and her dad’s abandonment.
She describes how she and her mother dig and sell sand daily before generating money to eat, and sometimes go to bed hungry.
According to her, harsh economic conditions facing her mother have had a particularly severe impact on her, with the consequence that she may not achieve her needed goal as planned. The 13-year-old noted further that she has been induced to surrender herself to a mere sand digger, as well as her mother for better sustainability, while her fellow friends pushed forward in education.
Danshe Darius, a 10-year-old boy expressed his disappointment in the county’s policymakers for doing nothing to better the vulnerable community’s life, calling on all well-meaning humanitarians to help. He wants the Nimba Legislative Caucus to seek vulnerable women and children welfare and support single women through a startup business for an enabling livelihood.
Like Darius, other children are among the most vulnerable in Liberia, therefore, calling for special attention from both the Government and civil society of Liberia to ensure that their livelihoods are protected to develop into responsible members of the society.
Data on out-of-school children
The Ministry of Gender Children and Social 126,702 children in Liberia are living on the streets without attending school. The data came ahead of the Day of the African Child (DAC) which is held annually on June 16, 2024, with this year’s theme “Education For All Children In Africa: the time is now.” Minister Gbeme Horace-Kollie, referenced UNESCO data that shows a significant percentage of children in Liberia are not in school, citing poverty, gender-based discrimination, violence, conflict, and displacement as contributing factors.
Minister Horace-Kollie: “UNESCO’s alarming stats further revealed that 20% of children between 6 and 11, 30% of children between 12 and 14, and 60% of children between 15 and 17 years are out of School.”
The Education Sector Plan 2022/23–2026/27 highlights the continued challenges in ensuring all children have access to quality education. The plan notes that many children, particularly those in underserved areas, are out of school, limiting their potential and hindering their learning and skill development. The plan also addresses the high dropout rates in schools, attributing them to child poverty, gender discrimination, violence, conflict, disability, and displacement.
As a member state of the AU, Liberia actively participated in activities to commemorate the 2024 Day of the African Child, with a focus on creating a supportive environment where all children can access affordable educational opportunities.
Nevertheless, the Gender Minister provided that despite the challenges and achievements, renewed commitment is essential to realize educational outcomes for all children in Liberia. She stated that renewed commitment is essential to realize educational outcomes for all children in Liberia is the overarching goal of this year’s Day of the African Child.
