April 3, 2014
Scenes like this of Cuttington University student, Martina Kohn, mentoring 60+ Sinyea primary school students are in the second week. Demand is great from town residents who seem happy that someone is paying attention to their students educational needs. The mentors are feeling great satisfaction for their efforts. This Sunday marks the establishment of matching a second group of Sinyea students with mentors.
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| Martina W. Kohn with students |
Some early observations highlight the problems mentors, students, and parents face. Their seems to be a great disconnect between the perceived level of education and actual skills. Students take classes far in excess of their actual skill levels. They pass from grade to grade without ever mastering basic reading, writing, and math skills. To some extend this is due to the students who see little relevance in what the lessons to their daily life and are so far behind in skill level they simply sit in class unable to understand the lesson. Another reason is that the educational level of the parents is so low that they lack the education to assist their children with their lessons, are intimidated by teachers whom they respect, and feel that if their child is enrolled in school, they are advancing. A final leg of this problem is the educational system itself which permits students to advance in grades if teachers are paid or students provide sex. There is little wonder that no applicant to the University of Liberia passed the entrance exam, yet the school is full of students. Cuttington University is no different..
When in Samoa, I was critical that the only book in people's homes was 'The Holy Bible". But, Samoans could read and understand it, giving the country a very high literacy rate in both written Samoan and English. Liberian churches and church schools don't even try to have their followers read. Everything is just oral.
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