Gbarpolu County Celebrates First-Ever Youth Literacy Graduation Program
Gbarpolu County Celebrates First-Ever Youth Literacy Graduation Program
The Ministry of Youth and Sports has successfully graduated the first cohort of its Youth Literacy Program in Gbarpolu County, with 69 participants completing the six-month training, marking a major milestone in efforts to expand basic education and literacy opportunities for young people in rural Liberia.
The graduation ceremony, which was held on June 15, 2026, in Bopolu City, celebrated the achievements of young learners who acquired essential literacy and numeracy skills through the initiative, which forms part of the Ministry's broader strategy to empower youth through education and skills development.
Delivering the keynote address, Hon. Howard P. Bundoo, County Financial Officer, underscored the transformative power of education in both personal and national development.
"When many people hear about education, they often think only of classrooms, books, and examinations. Education is much more than that," Hon. Bundoo said. "Education is about thinking critically, making informed decisions, and solving problems to improve one's life and the lives of others."
He further emphasized that education remains one of life's most enduring assets.
"Money can disappear, businesses can fail, and material possessions can be lost, but the knowledge and skills you acquire will remain with you throughout your life," he added.
Also speaking during the ceremony, Gbarpolu County Superintendent Hon. Sam Zinnah described the initiative as one of the most impactful programs introduced in the county in recent years. He commended the Ministry of Youth and Sports for investing in the future of young people and called for the program to be sustained and expanded to reach more communities across the county.
"This initiative has brought hope and opportunity to many young people who otherwise would not have had access to basic education. We encourage the Ministry to continue and expand this important intervention," Superintendent Zinnah noted.
Providing an overview of the program, Program Coordinator Madam Ora M. Barclay explained that the initiative forms part of a national framework designed to improve youth literacy and numeracy across Liberia.
She noted that the program was initially implemented under the National Service Program (NSP) and later transitioned into the National Youth Pathway Program (NYPP), which continues to prioritize foundational education as a critical component of youth empowerment.
According to Madam Barclay, Gbarpolu County was selected as one of fifteen counties nationwide to benefit from the initiative and had never previously experienced a structured literacy intervention of this nature.
Approximately six months ago, the program recruited 100 participants from Bopolu City and surrounding communities. Of that number, 69 participants completed the training and graduated.
The Youth Literacy Program focused on foundational educational competencies, including letter recognition, phonics, reading, writing, and basic numeracy. Participants were taught to identify and blend letters, read simple three- and four-letter words, write basic texts, count numbers, and tell time.
Instruction was delivered using the Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) curriculum approved by the Ministry of Education. The program also utilized the Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) and Early Grade Mathematics Assessment (EGMA) tools to track and evaluate learner progress throughout the training period.
Before implementation, a baseline survey conducted by the National Service Program among 45 respondents in Gbarpolu County revealed significant educational gaps. The findings indicated that:
63 percent could recognize letters;
19 percent could read short sentences;
15 percent possessed basic writing skills; and
70 percent demonstrated limited numeracy abilities.
Program officials reported substantial improvements among participants by the end of the training, with many graduates now able to spell their names, read and write simple texts, and perform basic mathematical operations.
Of the 69 graduates, 65 were female, and 4 were male, reflecting the program's significant impact in empowering young women through education.
Each graduate received a certificate of completion, officially marking the conclusion of the first cycle of the Youth Literacy Program in Gbarpolu County.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports described the achievement as a significant step toward combating illiteracy and equipping young Liberians with the essential life skills needed for personal growth, economic participation, and active citizenship.
The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to expanding the initiative to additional communities across Liberia as part of its broader youth empowerment and education agenda.
