LIBERIA EDUCATION AND TRAINING SECTOR ASSESSMENT December 1983 Prepared by the Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs: Joint Committee for the Government of Liberia/USAID Education, Training, and Human Resources Assessment T_57t/-( -O LIBERIA EDUCATION AND TRAINING SECTOR ASSESSMENT December 1983 Prepared by the Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs: Joint Committee for the Government of Liberia/USAID Education, Training, and Human Resources Assessment THE MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND ECONOMIC AFFAIRS: THE JOINT COMMITTEE FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF LIBERIA/USAID EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND HUMAN RESOURCES ASSESSMENT For the Government of Liberia Paul Jeffy, Chairperson of the Joint Committee and Deputy Minister for Planning and Economic Affairs Wilhemina Addy, Director of Selection, Civil Service Agency Elizabeth Autridge, Chief of Health, Housing and Social Welfare, Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs Ivan Camanor, Director of Preventative Medicine, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare Charles Collins, Assistant Minister for Youth and Sports Stephen Crayton, Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports Matilda Dempster, Ministry of Labor Green Ekadi, Assistant Minister of Planning, Ministry of Agriculture Othello Gongar, Deputy Minister of Planning and Development, Ministry of Education Arabella Greaves, Assistant Minister for Health and Social Welfare Evelyn White Kandakai, Cuttington University College David Kialian, Director General, Agricultural and Industrial Training Bureau Harold Monger, Senior Development Specialist, Liberian Institute of Public Administration Sandra Yonger, Chief, Education and Training Unit, Social Planning Division, Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs Robert Neal, Director, Social Planning Division, Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs Lucy Page, Ministry of Labor Clarrissa Sherman, Advisor in Commercial Education Samuel Siaka, Principal Officer, Agricultural and Industrial Training Bureau Henrique Tokpah, Assistant Minister of Planning and Development, Ministry of Education Stephen Yekeson, President, Cuttington University College Isaac Zawolo, Principal Officer, Agricultural and Industrial Training Bureau For the Agency for Interntional Development Joan M. Claffey, Team Leader, AID/W W. A. Whitten, AID/W Mary Ann Cusack, AID/W Victor Cieutat, Consultant, Graduate School, USDA John Comings, Consultant, Graduate School, USDA Bill Lovelace, Consultant, Graduate School, USDA Ian Mayo-Smith, Consultant, Graduate School, USDA Susan M. Selbin, Consultant, Graduate School, USDA Douglas M. Windham, Consultant, Graduate School, USDA Henry W. Reynolds, USAID/Monrovia Edwin R. Tolle, USAID/Monrovia Adele Douglass, Librarian and Executive Secretary INTRODUCTION The Liberia Education and Training Sector Assessment provides an overview of the systems for developing the nation's human resources. The study includes not only the formal schooling system of primary, secondary, and higher education, but also nonformal or out-of-school systems. These latter seek to address vocationsd and technical training needs, health and agriculture education, basic education for adults, and management training. It is important to note that this review of education and training is a systematic assessment of conditions and constraints rather than an analysis of selected problems. Analyses on such topics as the rela­ tionship among education delivery approaches and cost and quality will be ongoing and require much additional effort. In the meantime, the assessment serves to identify critical issues for further study while providing an immediately usable base for planning initiatives to improve education and training at thevarious levels. The study was conducted principally during October and November of 1982. This means that data were, in some cases, estimates for the year. It also means that the significance of more recent goverment measures--for example, reduction of public salaries and curtailment of pre­ primary education--has not yet been assessed and will have to be incorporatcd into subsequent studies. Perhaps of greatest note, this assessment represents a genuinely cooperative effort by the Ministry of Planning and.Economic Affairs together with all the Ministries engaged in education and training. Assisting the effort has been a team of consultants provided by the Agency for International Development through the contracted services of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Graduate School. In any such cooperative endeavor, consensus must lie chiefly in the overarching themes and the basic conclusions which are drawn. Members of the Joint Committee obviously differed on some particular points but believe that the study accurately assesses the situation of Liberia's education and training systems. If this assessment provokes rited debate leading not only to better understanding of the education and training subsectors but also to effective implementation of the recommendations agreed upon, it will serve the purpose for which it was prepared. Note: The portions of this assessment which refer to the University of Liberia have not been agreed upon or accepted by University of Liberia officials. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1.0 SUMMARY 1-1 1.1 Introduction 1-1 1.2 National Goals 1-2 1.3 Social and Economic Background 1-2 1.4 Labor and Market Overview 1-3 1.5 Constraints I-5 1.6 Issues 1-6 1.6.1 Administration and Supervision 1-6 1.6.2 Internal Efficiency 1-7 1.6.3 External Efficiency 1-9 1.6.4 Access and Equity 1-10 1.6.5 Costs and Financing 1-11 1.7 Conclusions 1-12 1.8 Sector Specific Overviews and Recommendations 1-13 1.8.1 Primary Education 1-13 1.8.2 Secondary Education 1-15 1.8.3 Higher Education 1-17 1.8.4 Teacher Education 1-19 1.8.5 Vocational/Technical Education 1-21 1.8.6 Health Education 1-22 1.8.7 Agriculture Education 1-24 1.8.8 Adult Basic Education 1-20 1.8.9 Management 1-27 2.0 ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL ANALYSIS OF LIBERIAN HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT 2-1 2.1 Introduction 2-1 2.2 Fiscal Capacity Analysis 2-2 2.2.1 The Liberian Economy 2-3 2.2.2 The National Economy 2-9 2.2.3 Budget Expenditures on Education and Human 2-15 Resources Development 2.2.4 Other Human Resource Development Current 2-26 Expenditures 2.3 Manpower Supply and Demand 2-29 2.3.1 Data Availability 2-29 2.3.2 Manpower Supply 2-31 2.3.3 Manpower Demand 2-38 2.3.4 Manpower Supply and Demand Analysis 2-46 2.4 Cost Aualysis 2-52 2.4.1 Introduction 2-52 2.4.2 Primary and Secondary Academic Education 2-52 2.4.3 Vocational In-School Education 2-58 2.4.4 Higher Education 2-59 2.4.5 Teacher Training 2-65 2.4.6 Unit Costs and the Returns to Education 2-67 I Table of Contents (cont.) Page 2.5 Summary Analysis and Recommendations 2-74 2.5.1 Constraints on Change 2-75 2.5.2 Opportunity for Change 2-78 2.5.3 Summary Recommendations 2-80 3.0 PRIMARY EDUCATION 3-1 3.1 Status 3-1 3.1.1 Goals and Strategies 3-2 3.1.2 Structure 3-2 3.1.3 Fourth Education Project 3-2 3.1.4 Administration and Supervision 3-4 3.1.5 Access 3-6 3.1.6 Equity 3-7 3.1.7 Internal Efficiency 3-8 3.1.8 External Efficiency 3-11 3.1.9 Costs and Financing 3-12 3.2 Needs 3-13 3.2.1 Internal Efficiency 3-13 3.2.2 Administration and Supervision 3-15 3.2.3 Access and Equity 3-15 3.2.4 Cost and Financing 3-15 3.3 Plans 3-16 3.4 Analysis 3-17 3.4.1 Constraints 3-17 3.4.2 Issues 3-18 3.4.2.1 Internal Efficiency 3-19 3.4.2.2 Administration and Supervision 3-20 3.4.2.3 Access and Equity 3-21 3.4.2.4 Costs and Financing 3-21 3.4.3 Conclusions 3-22 3.5 Recommendations 3-23 3.5.1 First Priority - Internal Efficiency: 3-23 Recommendations 1-4. 3.5.2 Second Priority - Administration and 3-25 Supervision: Recommendations 5-6. 3.5.3 Third Priority - Equity: 3-25 Recommendations 7-8. 3.5.4 Fourth Priority - Access: 3-26 Recommendations 9-12. 4.0 SECONDARY EDUCATION 4-1 4.1 Status 4-1 4.1.1 Goals and Strategies 4-1 4.1.2 Structure 4-3 4.1.3 Administration and Supervision 4-4 4.1.4 Access 4-4 4.1.5 Equity 4-6 II Table of Contents (cont.) Page 4.1.6 Internal Efficiency 4-7 4.1.7 External Efficiency 4-9 4.1.8 Costs and Financing 4-10 4.2 Needs 4-12 4.2.1 Internal Efficiency 4-12 4.2.2 Access and Equity 4-13 4.2.3 Costs and Financing 4-13 4.3 Plans 4-14 4.4 Analysis 4-14 4.4.1 Constraints 4-15 4.4.2 Issues 4-15 4.4.2.1 Administration and Supervision 4-15 4.4.2.2 Internal Efficiency 4-16 4.4.2.3 Access and Equity 4-19 4.4.2.4 Costs and Financing 4-20 4.4.3 Conclusions 4-21 4.5 Recommendations ???? 4.5.1 Firsc Priority - Internal Efficiency: 4-22 Recommendations 1-5. 4.5.2 Second Priority - Access: 4-23 Recommendations 6-7. 4.5.3 Third Priority - Equity: 4-24 Recommendations 8-9. 5.0 HIGHER EDUCATION 5-1 5.1a Status 5-1 5.1a.l Gials 5-2 5.1a.2 Structure 5-3 5.1a.3 Programs 5-3 5.1a.4 Administration and Supervision 5-4 5.1a.5 Access and Equity 5-5 5.1a.6 Internal Efficiency 5-7 5.1a.7 External Efficiency 5-11 5.1a.8 Costs and Financing 5-12 5.2a Needs 5-12 5.2a.1 Administration and Supervision 5-12 5.2a.2 Access and Equity 5-13 5.2a.3 Intecnal Efficiency 5-13 5.2a.4 External Efficiency 5-14 5.2a.5 Costs and Financing 5-15 5.3a Plans 5-16 5.4a Analysis 5-16 5.4a.1 Constraints 5-16 5.4a.2 Issues 5-17 5.4a.2.1 Internal Efficiency 5-17 5.4a.2.2 External Efficiency 5-17 5.4a.2.3 Costs and Financing 5-18 5.4a.3 Conclusions 5-18 III Table of Contents (cont.) Page 5.5a Recommendations 5-19 5.5a.1 First Priority - Costs and Financing: 5-19 Recommendations 1-3.