Over 8,000 students in Bong County have benefited from government’s scholarships. The Bong County Scholarship Committee, a team set up to coordinate the disbursement of scholarship funds launched by the Government of Liberia (GOL), has begun the disbursement of funds to schools in the county. Several schools gathered on Tuesday, June 1, 2021, forming part of the scholarship funds disbursement, supported by the Liberian government.
The project aims at easing financial tension on parents and self-supporters, and its second phase targets schools in Gbankay. Speaking prior to the presentation of cheques to schools, Bong County’s district #3 Representative, J. Marvin Cole, described the scholarship as a great help to the people of the county.
Representative Cole said, as officials of the committee, they were able to lobby with the government to top up the scholarship fund to L$54 million, noting that the government of President George Weah remains committed to ensuring quality and affordable education in the country.
“I want to assure you that this government will always help you; this government will do all it takes to make you achieve quality and affordable education,” he said.
The Bong County lawmaker pointed out that this is the first time schools in Bong County are receiving more than L$500,000 as scholarship funds. Schools receiving the highest amounts were Totota Lutheran, Nathaniel V. Massaquoi High School, St. Mark’s Lutheran High School, Sumo Moye Memorial Institute and St. Martin’s Catholic High School—L$500,000.00 each.
The Arthur B. Francis High School received L$485,000, while Martha Tubman High School received L$84,000 from the school funds distribution. Out of L$30 million, the total of L$9 million has been disbursed so far.
Heads of the students, in separate remarks, lauded the Government of Liberia (GOL), and promised to make use of the opportunity.
It can be recalled that in April 2021 the government, through the offices of Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Nathaniel McGill, and Jorquelleh District Representative, J. Marvin Cole, launched the scholarship program to help reduce the financial burden that parents and self-sponsored students are faced with. Following the launch, the committee presented L$3 million to three schools for the first phase.