West African educational infrastructure development

Government officials in Liberia and Sierra Leone are overseeing significant educational infrastructure projects to address rising student enrollment and deteriorating facilities.

In Liberia, officials announced plans to renovate, reconstruct, and expand the June L. Moore Public School in Gbengbar’s Town. This initiative, supported by the World Bank-backed Excellence in Learning in Liberia (EXCEL) project, seeks to alleviate overcrowding and improve access to essential services like water and roads.

In Sierra Leone, Vice President Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh has been inspecting various rehabilitation and construction projects. These include the Goderich and Congo Cross campuses of Milton Margai Technical University, as well as the Prince of Wales School in Kingtom.

The Sierra Leonean projects are part of the US$68 million Sierra Leone Education Sector Support Project (ESSP), funded by the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), the OPEC Fund for International Development, and the Saudi Fund for Development. At the Prince of Wales School, works involve constructing multi-purpose buildings, rehabilitating classrooms, and implementing sea defenses to combat coastal erosion. The Vice President has committed to personal supervision, including site visits every two months, to ensure project quality and timely completion.