By: Cooper K. Sangar Jr.
PAYNESVILLE CITY – In a significant move aimed at improving academic performance and expanding access to quality learning resources across Liberia, the National Association of Liberian School Principals (NALSP) on Monday signed a formal partnership agreement with New Joy Liberia Incorporated and Praise Word Incorporated at its head office on S.D. Cooper Road.
Authorities say the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) marks a new era of public-private collaboration, targeting key challenges in the education sector, including textbook shortages and underperformance in national exams.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Darric Dennis, National President of NALSP, emphasized that the event was more than symbolic. “Today is not merely about affixing our signatures to documents,” he said. “It is about affirming a shared commitment to academic excellence and holistic educational development—especially for our students.”
Mr. Dennis praised New Joy Liberia for offering culturally relevant and affordable educational materials tailored to Liberia’s needs. “Doing education without textbooks is a serious affront to teaching and learning,” he stated. “Let alone using materials that lack cultural relevance. It is time we promote our own.”
He also called on stakeholders to support Liberian authors and publishers, noting that the Liberianization policy has not yet been fully implemented in the education sector.
Ms. Precious Joy Teeweh, CEO of New Joy Liberia, outlined her organization’s four core pillars: Early childhood teacher training, Development of teaching and learning materials, Classroom-based instructional support and Phonics-focused programs.
She emphasized that the partnership with NALSP will allow New Joy to expand its reach across all 15 counties, aiming to distribute textbooks to over 100,000 students and train 5,000 teachers over the next three years.
“This partnership is not just a project—it is the realization of a long-held vision,” Ms. Teeweh said. “We are especially focused on reaching underserved communities with practical, Liberian-tailored learning tools.”
Mr. James Hall, CEO of Praise Word Incorporated, shared similar enthusiasm, describing the renewed collaboration with NALSP as a continuation of an initiative launched in 2016, but interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our mission is to rebuild student confidence in public testing,” Mr. Hall said, referring to poor results in WAEC and university entrance exams. “We believe that structured mock exams, lesson planning support, and curriculum-aligned training are critical.”
He noted that before the pandemic, Praise Word operated in 10 counties, and was popularly known as “the Questionnaire Team” for its accessible exam preparation resources.
Mr. Hall also echoed the call for greater collaboration between government and private education actors. “The government cannot do it alone. We need to integrate private sector expertise into national education planning if we truly want to improve outcomes,” he said.
Hon. Dennis reiterated NALSP’s strategic approach to strengthening Liberia’s schools through its four pillars: Professional Development, Advocacy, Partnership, and Research (PDAPR). He noted that the MOU represents the activation of the third pillar—Partnership.
“When educators are empowered with the right tools, and students are supported with structured assessments, success becomes not just a hope but a certainty,” he stated.
Calling for unity of purpose, he concluded: “Let this be the beginning of a partnership that brings measurable outcomes, increased pass rates, enhanced teaching methods, and a brighter future for Liberian learners.”
The ceremony ended with expressions of gratitude and optimism from all three organizations, setting a hopeful tone for what stakeholders describe as a promising step toward transforming education in Liberia.
