The National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP), headed by Director General Dewitt vonBallmoos, has made a tremendous intervention at the Ministry of Education to ease some of the challenges at the ministry, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Thursday, July 15, 2021 members of the press witnessed a huge NASSCORP donation of Graph Books to the Ministry of Education for use by students sitting the West African Exams. The donation is said to be one of NASSCORP’s way of fulfilling its social corporate responsibility and aiding the government in resuscitating the once messy education system.
Giving an overview of the program, the Assistant Director-General for Public Information, Education and Training (PIET), Winston Q. Jah, disclosed that NASSCORP was donating 50,000 graph books to the ministry, but as the WAEC exams were expected earlier than the revised schedule the entity deemed it necessary to present the first 25,000 pieces, with the remaining 25,000 to be given at a later date.
Making the official presentation of the donation to the ministry, the Deputy Director-General of NASSCORP, Nya D. Twayen, noted that there was an outcry by students in the previous WAEC exams that they did not do well in math because they did not know how to use the graph sheet; as such, they found it important to provide graph books, instead of the regular notebooks, so that the students could learn how to use it ahead of the exams.
He said Director General vonBallmoos told him to inform the Education Minister that NASSCORP will continue to stand by him and his ministry in getting adequate supplies for the ministry.
DG Twayen disclosed that the graph books were printed by a local Liberian-owned vendor, but was sad to note that the co-owner of the entity, Alex Gurley, has passed away due to COVID-19, and that this just explains how deadly the disease is. “Many of you here from the press, who were here the last time…the fellow who spoke on behalf of the production company is no more,” he noted.
Before he did the official donation, DDG Twayen turned over to late Gurley’s partner, who represented the company that produced the books, for few words. He, too, used the occasion to thank the NASSCORP family for the continued partnership with his entity, and for looking in the direction of uplifting Liberian-owned businesses. He prayed that his deceased partner rests in perfect peace.
Receiving the donation on behalf of MOE, the Minister, Prof. D. Ansu Sonii, expressed appreciation to NASSCORP and noted that, even though the challenges at his ministry are enormous, the donation will take them a long way in solving some of the problems that students are faced with.
According to Minister Sonii, there are over 42,000 students expected to sit this year’s senior high WAEC, and so the initial 25,000 graph books will be immediately distributed to students in Nimba, Lofa, Bong, Margibi, Bomi, Grand Bassa, Gbarpolu and Grand Cape Mount counties. He noted that the portion for Maryland, Grand Kru, Sinoe and parts of Rivercess counties will be transported by boat, while Montserrado County, especially Monrovia, can wait in the meantime.
He acknowledged NASSCORP’s valued contributions toward the education sector, especially during President Weah’s administration, and urged them not to be swayed from the good endeavor.
According to Minister Sonii, the donation is timely, as students sitting the senior high exams will have sufficient time to practice with their math teachers on the use of the graph sheet, disclosing that the senior high exams are scheduled for September 2021. He however noted that it will not be possible for the 9th graders to benefit from the donation, as their exams are already at hand.
He appealed to the NASSCORP family that, if possible, they should help with more of the graph books so that private schools too can benefit, as there are more private senior high schools than public schools.
Also speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Education was the Deputy Minister for Instruction, Alexander Duopoe, who also praised the NASSCORP family for the intervention, especially at a time that the students are getting ready to sit for the West African Exams.