Montserrado
County District 10 youthful representative aspirant, Y. Solomon W. Watkins has
vowed to pass a legislation which would promote technical and vocational
education and training to be offered to all Liberians, especially students
ahead of graduation from high school. Something according to him is overdue for
Liberian students.
He
said this will call for educational reform in helping to equip Liberians with
relevant skills and knowledge, thereby enabling them to effectively participate
in social, economic and technological innovation processes, which is essential
for the development of any social structure given the unemployment gap and
hardship in Liberia.
The
District 10 representative hopeful said it is mindboggling to see lots of
students who have graduated from high schools with relatively no technical skill,
considering the limited of job opportunity in the country and there is nothing
being done to arrest the situation.
“As
long as I am alive, no student will graduate from high school without acquiring
technical skill in Liberia, especially Montserrado County, District 10. We will
further push for systematic reform for the life betterment of all persons in
Liberia. This will help us close the current economic gap the country is
experiencing. But in the main time, we will keep providing such empowerment
opportunity to residents of our District and Township.
Mr.
Watkins who is the founder and sponsor of the Watkins Initiative for Nation
(WIN), a prodemocracy organization operating in Montserrado County Electoral
District 10, made the vow over the weekend when received graduates turned over to
him by trainers of WIN’s In-School Youth Cohort.
The
Alpha Cohort of WIN witnessed the graduation of over 150 Senior Students from various
high schools within District 10, including the Christ the King Catholic School,
David Lombel Memorial Institute, Living Water Baptist School, St. Andrew Lutheran
High School and Monrovia Open Bible Standard School. The students have
completed a week of intensive training in the production of chlorax, liquid
soap, soap powder, floor cleaner, and tie & dye, organized under WIN
“Empowerment Brings Development” program.
Mis.
Watchen O. Zarzar, Head Trainer of WIN said providing basic empowerment
opportunity to youth, especially senior students attending various high schools
in preparation to obtaining college/university education within Montserrado
County Electoral District 10, will help further enhance productivity and
development of people in that locality.
“We
are thinking the future of the generation now and the ones yet to come. We
don’t want to see our senior students continue to graduate from various high
school without having basic skills. Mr. Y. Solomon W. Watkins, our sponsor is
very straight forward on supporting this. He wants to see everyone is
substantially empowered in Liberia especially our District 10, beginning with
this lifetime economic empowerment program for all persons,” Miss. Zarzar noted
in a turning over of the graduates to their sponsor Mr. Watkins.
Also
speaking, Mrs. J. Krubo D. K. Solomon, Education and Development Officer of WIN
noted that all is set for the program to extend to all senior high schools
within Montserrado County District 10 and the Township of Congo Town. The
Township hosts parts of Montsessardo County Districts 5 and 6 with the entire
landmass of District 10 covered under it.
Apart
from the in-school youth program, according to her, Mr. Watkins is sponsoring
other empowerment program including a holding center for human development
established in Gaye Town Community on the Old Road where women, girls and boys
are learning pastry / catering, cosmetology / hairdressing, tailoring and interior
decoration/ African beans design on a 100% tuition free basis. She further
mentioned of center being opened in the RC Lawson Community and Peace Island
Communities to ensure vast majority of the District 10 population as well as
all Liberians desiring to acquire requisite skills as they faced the harsh
economic challenge on a 100% tuition free paste.
She further noted that the entrepreneurship program
which benefiting the high school students is 100% tuition and registration free
with support from Mr. Watkins.
Watkins recently declared his
intention to contest during the pending General Legislative and Presidential
Elections for Montserrado County District 10 Legislative seat. Residents
believed Watkins is the political gamechanger of Montserrado County, Electoral
District 10 given the level of developmental works undertaken with in the
district, ranking from being the highest contributor to youth education, road
rehabilitation, water and sanitation, health, infrastructure, empowerment and
contribution to communities, schools and religious institutions (Churches and
Mosques), etc.
