Special Programs

Increasing Access to Education using a Community Driven Development Model: Concept Note

Motivation

The youth of this country should be in class, learning, as opposed to in the streets, selling.  This normally happens, however, when parents cannot afford the basic costs of school registration and related materials; making sending their children to the streets the most likely option.  Previous fieldwork and research clearly shows that if basic costs at the beginning of the school year is met –less children will have to risk their lives in the streets of Monrovia in a dangerous effort to “afford/access” an education. This proposal, therefore, targets some of the poorest and most vulnerable communities and children of Liberia as we work towards a better future for the next generation.

Country & Sector Background

In a country of 5 million people, close to 75% of Liberians are still living with incomes of less than $2 a day, with no direct access to clean water, or proper sanitation. In addition to having one of the highest illiteracy rates in the world (52%), Liberia’s high fertility rate of nearly five children per woman, and large youth cohort (more than 3 million of the population are under the age of 25) will sustain a high dependency ratio for many years to come.

A recent World Bank Education Sector Analysis prepared jointly with the Government of Liberia, highlights that an estimated 60 percent of students drop out by the 9^th grade.^[1]  The hardest hit age group is 12 – 14 years of age (junior high students) with over 52,000 students in this category not in school. Many factors contribute to low access to education, including: distance from home, or parents simply not allowing their children to attend school. A principal reason, however, for the high rate of absenteeism in this age group is due to a lack of financing for key educational expenses, primarily school fees and school supplies.

*Figure 1 below shows a steady drop in enrollment numbers from about 145,000 in grade 1 to approximately 35,000 enrolled in grade 12, including repeaters.

Project Design

The Moniba Foundation designed this project to ensure that parents do not have to make the choice between a child’s education or putting food on the table. Targeting a total of 600 vulnerable children in five peri-urban communities of Montserrado over a period of three years, the Moniba Foundation through a most vulnerable based assessment, will select 200 junior high students (per year) for three years from 2024 to 2026.

In Liberia, the first quarter of the semester typically has the highest number of children not attending school because of insufficient funds to pay fees and purchase basic supplies. This financial barrier has been documented in household surveys as a main barrier that, if removed, could guarantee the readiness of a child to access education. To this end, this proposed project will provide financing for:

1. School Registration Fees
2. Two sets of School Uniforms and a pair of shoes
3. School Materials: Bookbags, Notebooks, Pens/Pencils and Geometry Sets

Most Vulnerable Based Assessment – The Selection Process

With a third of the population living on less than two United States dollars per day, any minor disruption to this flow of limited income makes it near impossible for parents or guardians to afford school related expenses for their child’s education as they would prioritize the basic needs of food, shelter and healthcare. These choices inevitably lead to absenteeism. Consequently, our target will be students who are currently in the most vulnerable category of dropping out of school: both female and male Students (ages 12 –14).

 

With the aim of the project to provide support for underprivileged and vulnerable children, because of the limitation of 40 students per community, we will implement a screening process, inclusive of a volunteer committee made up of school officials, community leaders and Moniba Foundation administrators in order to select those who are identified as the most vulnerable.  Some of the criteria will include, but not be limited to:

1. Students who live in single parent homes;
2. Children from families whose surviving parents are physically unable to work because of health challenges;
3. Orphaned children living with grand parents or guardians;
4. Orphaned children whose parents were victims of the Corona virus or Ebola Virus Disease (EVD);
5. Parent(s)/Guardian(s) under special circumstances who show beyond a reasonable doubt that they cannot afford school specific expenses.

The World Bank’s educational analysis also points to inequality in access to education for girls – with female education attainment behind males by 50%. For the Junior High bracket, roughly 30 percent of males complete junior high as opposed to 15 percent of females. Consequently, the breakdown of students selected for this project will be 60% girls and 40% boys.

Measuring Impact

The overarching objectives of this initiative is to remove financial barriers that prevent access to education and to ensure that students:

1. Begin the school year on time;
2. Have the materials needed to attend and succeed in the classroom and;
3. Are not singled out or held out of class (by the teacher) for not having the proper dress code.

Monitoring and Evaluation

A monitoring and evaluation plan will be implemented by the volunteer committee members (VCM) to ensure that these objectives are reached through the following actions:

1. Each volunteer/committee member will be assigned 10 – 12 students in which to monitor
2. To ensure proper and more consistent class participation – our assigned VCM’s will receive monthly attendance records
3. Our VCM’s will conduct home visits if the student is absent for five days or more in any given month (during the first semester)

Fundraising for this initiative is ongoing.  Click here to donate cash or in-kind support towards this project that will begin in October of 2024.

Moniba Foundation Football Academy

Starting in 2021, the Moniba Foundation began sponsoring two youth football teams – Under 17 and Under 15.  They compete in various leagues around the city of Monrovia and are led by certificated, professional coaches.  The Foundation works to ensure that all team players are in school and equipped with school supplies, uniforms and financial support.  Players are also required to maintain a minimum grade point average (gpa) of 2.5.  On off days, the players participate in community service exercises such as community clean up and recycling initiatives.  Also made available for the players are volunteer therapists, tutors and motivational speakers.