NATIONAL NEWS
PAYNESVILLE – Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung and Agricultural and Industrial Training Bureau (AITB) Director General Abraham Billy have called for reforms in Liberia’s technical and vocational education system, saying practical skills must be better connected to employment and business opportunities.
By: Sampson W Weah – sampsonwweah7@gmail.com
The remarks came Wednesday during the dedication of AITB’s newly renovated headquarters at the MVTC Compound in Paynesville.
Representing Vice President Koung at the ceremony, Deputy Chief of Staff for Administration Dr. Macdonald M. Metzger said the investment in the facility reflects the government’s focus on human capital development under the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development.
Koung said Liberia’s progress cannot depend solely on roads, bridges, electricity and other physical projects. He argued that developing a capable workforce is equally important to the country’s economic future.
He identified agriculture, manufacturing, construction and energy among the areas that require qualified technicians, mechanics, electricians, welders, equipment operators and other professionals.
The Vice President urged AITB to ensure that its programs correspond with the needs of the economy instead of concentrating mainly on enrollment and certificates.
He encouraged young Liberians to acquire abilities that can help them find work, establish businesses and become self-reliant.
Koung also urged closer collaboration between training institutions, employers, development partners and government agencies so that students can gain workplace experience and prepare for actual labor-market demands.
Billy Highlights Skills Gap
AITB Director General Abraham Billy said the renovated headquarters should serve as a starting point for deeper changes within the country’s TVET sector.
He described the project as more than the rehabilitation of a building, saying its greater significance lies in strengthening an institution charged with helping turn vocational skills into economic opportunities.
Billy drew from his personal experience, recounting how he spent five years operating a small business to finance his education after secondary school. He later earned a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Demography from the University of Liberia before pursuing a Master’s degree in Applied Economics through a Government of Liberia and World Bank-supported program.
He said his journey showed that academic qualifications alone are not enough, noting that marketable skills and access to opportunities also determine whether young people can improve their circumstances.
Billy said Liberia is facing a mismatch between the abilities some graduates possess and the competencies employers are seeking.
He cited AITB findings showing that 59 percent of instructors teach outside their areas of expertise, while 43 percent have limited experience and 40 percent have not received professional development.
The Director General said those gaps require attention to teaching quality, curricula, equipment, certification, institutional standards and links with businesses.
He said AITB is working to improve licensing, quality assurance, competency-based training, occupational standards, trade testing, certification and monitoring across the sector.
Billy stressed that the Bureau’s objective is to create a stronger connection between the classroom and the workplace, ensuring that graduates leave with practical competence, relevant experience and qualifications that employers can trust.
He called on companies and private-sector leaders to participate in designing training programs, offering internships and creating entry points for graduates.
For Koung, the measure of success should be visible in the lives of young Liberians who gain useful skills, secure employment or establish enterprises.
Billy similarly maintained that the value of TVET must ultimately be reflected in the ability of graduates to earn a living and contribute to productive activities.
The ceremony therefore placed renewed attention on the role of vocational education in preparing Liberia’s workforce for agriculture, industry, construction, energy and other sectors of the economy.
