Monrovia, Liberia – Liberia’s Education Minister has said that the country remains firmly committed to multilateralism, sustainable development, and the transformative power of education, science, and culture. Speaking at the 221st Session in Paris, where Liberia sits at UNESCO Executive Board, Dr. Jarso Maley Jallah, Minister of Education, delivered a strong message on behalf of the government and people of Liberia.
She highlighted Liberia’s commitment to international collaboration and commended UNESCO’s ongoing assistance, especially through the Priority Africa project and Director-General Audrey Azoulay.
“Let us ensure that education, science, and culture remain central to our global development agenda,” Dr. Jallah said. “We must move beyond rhetoric to concrete actions that uphold human dignity, empower communities, and drive collective prosperity,” she added.
Dr. Jallah emphasized the importance of education in Liberia’s national development plan and mentioned current changes meant to increase fairness, accountability, and quality.
The installation of solar-powered C3 Micro Cloud Systems in 156 public schools throughout all 15 counties is one of the main initiatives, she said, and it will significantly improve access to digital learning tools, particularly in remote regions.
The importance of UNESCO’s CapED Program, which has helped Liberia incorporate Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) data into its Education Management Information System (EMIS) and provide crucial tools for evidence-based planning and decision-making, was also highlighted by her.
In terms of science and sustainability, Dr. Jallah mentioned that Liberia has used the Climate Risk Informed Decision Analysis (CRIDA) approach to manage three significant watersheds that sustain more than 40% of the nation’s population, under the technical direction of UNESCO.
She also praised the establishment of Innovation Hubs at four regional institutions, which were made possible by UNESCO’s efforts to promote STEM education.
Speaking on culture, Dr. Jallah praised Liberia’s rich history and its active involvement in the regional consultations for MONDIACULT 2025, which are forming national cultural policies that support sustainable development.
Along with highlighting the significance of responsible digital citizenship and cultural preservation in the digital age, she also announced Liberia’s upcoming participation in the West Africa Conference on Information Integrity.
Dr. Jallah restated Liberia’s unwavering support for the Africa Group’s stance and called for more funding for UNESCO’s core missions, teacher preparation, digital transformation, and the inclusion of African locations in upcoming UNESCO Global Geopark designations.
The 221st Session of the UNESCO Executive Board opened with remarks from the Chairperson of the Executive Board, the President of the General Conference, and the Director-General. The session convenes Member States to guide the organization’s strategic priorities, including education, science, culture, and communication particularly through initiatives under Priority Africa.
Reported by: Prince Saah
Contact: +231778239813
Email: saahprince119@gmail.com
