Liberia: Deputy Speaker to Dedicate First High School in Sarkonedu, Lofa County

The Deputy Speaker of the 54th Legislature, Rep. J. Fonati Koffa is expected to officially dedicate the first high school project in Sarkonedu, Quardu-Gboni district, Lofa County. 

The community has never had a high school since its establishment as a district nearly twenty years ago. 

In addition to performing the dedicatory ceremony, the Grand Kru County lawmaker is also expected to grace the celebration of the milestone as the keynote speaker. The dedication of the school—the first ever in the area, was constructed by citizens of Sarkonedu under the banner, Sarkonedu Development Association (SDA).

The construction of the facility was also a collaborative effort among SDA National Executive Committee (NEC), its general membership and the citizens of Sarkonedu. The community and the association said their preference of the Deputy Speaker to serve as the keynote speaker for the celebration is as a result of his immense contribution to humanity, especially in the area of academic activities.

The celebration and dedication of the school project is scheduled for March 18, in Sarkonedu Community. It is the community's first high school since the establishment of Quardu-Gboni District in 2004.

Sarkonedu is located on the outskirts of Voinjama in Quardu-Gboni, District #4, Lofa County. The district representative is Rep. Mariamu Fofana—the Chairperson of the House of Representatives' committee on Education and Public Administration.

It may be recalled that on April 27, 2021, a heavy storm destroyed several homes in Sarkonedu, leaving several homeless including its only junior high and hundreds of school-going children out of school. It is in this vein that the citizens of Sarkonedu under the banner Sarkonedu Development Organization launched a campaign to construct a state-of-the-art high school and vocational center in the district.

Quardu Gboni District is the newest of the seven administrative districts of Lofa County, and the district is predominantly Mandingoes who are all Maliki Muslims.

Despite the lack of a high school in the area, the citizens, at the Town Hall Meeting, told President George Weah that there is a need for the establishment of a TVET program in the area in order to build the capacity of the many young people in the district.

They also told the President, who was at the time on the fourth-leg of his nationwide tour in Lofa, that there was a need for security protection in their district through the erection of a Police Station, a health and youth centers, Agriculture program. They also talked about the construction of farm to market roads including women empowerment and market houses among others.

The President, however, pledged his government support to the district especially in road infrastructure, health care, job creation, youth and women empowerment among others.

He urged them to collectively work with their lawmakers in order to help improve their current living conditions.

Like many other districts across Liberia, Quardo Gboni is heavily challenged as hardship abounds. The issues are unemployment, lack of opportunities for young people, and insecurity as a result of porous borders. Farming is the major source of livelihood for the locals.