FARMERSVILLE TOWNSHIP, Sinoe – The United Nations Industrial Development Organization has launched a five-year technical training program for youth in five counties across the country, including Sinoe.

Given a broad overview of the project over the past weekend at the main campus of the Sinoe Multilateral High School in Farmersville Township, Mark Korpu, head of communications at UNIDO, said the European Union-funded project would be implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

“Currently as we speak, over 28 young Liberians are now undergoing training with ArcelorMittal in different fields of skills training programs,” Korpu told The Bush Chicken. “And when completed, they will be sent to Zambia and Kenya for further training, upon which they will come back home to offer services at various vocational training centers captured under this project.”

He said the project will take place within five counties at facilities such as the Zwedru Multilateral High School in Grand Gedeh, Sinoe Multilateral High School in Greenville, Cape Palmas High School in Maryland, Booker Washington Institute in Margibi, William V.S. Tubman High School in Montserrado, and the Monrovia Technical and Vocational Training Center in Montserrado.

Costing €19.5 million (US$21.2 million), Korpu said the project would offer courses in agriculture, information communication technology, and the auto mechanic trade.

Marina Davies, UNIDO’s training coordinator, urged students in participating schools to take advantage of the program in order to have alternatives for future careers.

“Every developed country in the world, including Liberia, one way of the other depends on [technicians] when it comes to dealing or managing technical services at every given time,” she said. “And as such, I want some of you who have interest to not give up because this is about time for you to see your dreams come true.”

UNIDO’s training coordinator, Marina Davies. Photo: Teahwleh Clarke Geeplay

Edwin Karmoh, the district education officer in Greenville, said UNIDO’s intervention in the educational sector would bring about an improvement. He said the Ministry of Education would support the program to achieve fruitful results throughout its five-year run.

“We sit and praise other countries because of their speedy growth but not understanding what are those basic mechanisms being put in place and who are those implementing those mechanisms,” he said, noting the potential of the program to transform Liberia. “We can do more than those countries we praise on a daily basis.”

Edward Karmoh, district education officer of Greenville School District. Photo: Teahwleh Clarke Geeplay 

Students at the Sinoe Multilateral High School expressed excitement over the potential of the program to transform their lives. Two students, including 11^th grader Senkey Karteh and 12^th grader Remember Tarlue, said they would ensure they take part in the program.

“Education has no end and as such we will do everything possible to even encourage our colleagues to take advantage of this technical and vocational education training opportunity,” Tarlue said.

Featured photo by Teahwleh Clarke Geeplay