By: Sampson W Weah – sampsonwweah7@gmail.com
Bomi County – Several students of the Vincent Town Public School in Bomi County are learning under extreme critical conditions due to the current state of the school building.
For the last two years, the government run elementary school is faced with shortage of instructors and instructional materials, lack of safe drinking water and proper latrine facilities on campus, while the school’s roof remains in deplorable condition.
Students are forced to drink from a makeshift well which is nearly two minutes’ walk away from the main school.
As a result of staff shortage and lack of instructional materials, learning outcomes are being hindered – risking the future of hundreds of school going kids in the region.
One of the Elders of Vincent Town, District #3 Bomi County Albert B. Dean Sr. said there is a need for urgent intervention from the government through the Ministry of Education.
In an interview with Liberia Excellent News Network, Elder. Dean described the school’s condition as deplorable – stressing that without immediate government intervention, children in the surrounding will continue to learn in an unsafe and unhealthy environment.
“For over a year, the school has received no attention, and we are calling on the Ministry of Education to replace the rotten roof and repair the damaged hand pump on the school campus,” he said.
He added that the hand pump on the school campus has been damaged for more than two years, forcing students to leave the premises to fetch water from a nearby well for drinking and flushing of toilets.
Healthcare Delivery Challenge
Beyond education, Dean also highlighted the town’s lack of a medical center, especially for pregnant women and children.
He explained that residents are forced to travel long distances to Jenneh Town to seek medical care, a situation he described as dangerous and unsustainable for women in labor.
“Our people have to walk distances to get medical care. We need to have a clinic here, a fully functional facility that will relieve us,” he noted.
Mr. Dean is urging both the national and local governments to prioritize the needs of Vincent Town, ensuring better access to education and healthcare for its citizens.
