By: Sampson David
Monrovia – Liberia – In a bid to buttress government’s efforts in improving education sector, Kid Educational Engagement Project (KEEP) has dedicated the Mariella Simone reading room at the Samukai Town Public School in Upper Caldwell.
The reading room, worth over fifteen thousand United States Dollars was funded by Mariella Simone Foundation.
The library was named in honor of Mariella Simone, the daughter of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mariella Simone Foundation and Liberia’s Commerce Minister, Mawine Diggs.
This marks the 28th reading rooms being dedicated by KEEP across ten counties.
Speaking at the program over the weekend, the CEO of Mariella Simone Foundation and Commerce Minister, Mawine Diggs, said the library is her organization’s way of identifying with students of the school and residents of Samukai Town.
She noted that the students are the future leaders of Liberia and investing in the educational sector now will enable them make a change in society.
Minister Diggs maintained that providing an enabling learning environment for the kids will increase their appetite for education and prepare them to contribute to the growth and development of the country.
She encouraged the students and teachers at the institutions to ensure that the facility is properly utilized.
“We are happy to be able to partner with KEEP to construct the reading room – we hope it benefits all of you.” She said, “We also want children from the community that are not part of the school to have the opportunity to see how a reading room or library looks like.”
The Samukai Town public school reading room contains several books, including KEEP own locally produced books.
The books produced by KEEP also contain local or traditional names to encourage the students learn faster.
Also speaking, KEEP-Liberia Executive Director, Brenda Moore, said the provision of reading rooms is aimed at encouraging students to comprehend and do well in their lessons.
She noted that Liberian students barely read and as such the availability of the reading rooms will help bridge the gap.
Madam Moore mentioned that the inequality gap between the poor and the rich will only be closed when more Liberians are educated.
“We have a mission and vision to ensure that students have access to books to ensure that children are able to read. But more importantly across everything to make sure that we are able to close the inequality gap – that can be only be closed by making sure that more of us are educated, and that is why we are going across the country creating these kinds of reading rooms for children.”
Little Mariella Simone flanked by Commerce Minister, Mawine Diggs and KEEP Executive Director Brenda Moore cutting the ribbon.
The Liberian educator maintained that students will not do better in school if they can’t read well, thus urging parents to encourage their kids to prioritize reading.
Madam Moore said reading enhances the ability of students and making it a priority will help Liberian students compete with their counterparts in neighboring countries in regional exams.
She further said, “Reading is the most important subject in any school because if you can’t read, you can’t do Mathematics, Physics and English as well as other subjects.
She is at same time, calling on the administration and residents of the community to take ownership of the facility.
For his part, the Principal of the school, Robert Mamue, described the initiative as a dream come true and called on KEEP to impact the lives of school going kids across the country.
The ceremony was attended by Montserrado County Education Officer, Harrison Darwolor, District Education Officer, Amanda Zota as well as parents and guardians.
