By: Laymah Kollie
Nimba-July 19,2023: Nimba County District 2 Representative Aspirant, Madam Sondah Gepea Wilson is rallying teachers to practice integrity and moral principles at Institutions of learning in the country.
Madam Gepea Wilson made the statement during the weekend when she served as the guest speaker of the ACIDA School first graduation convocation in Ganta, Nimba County.
Sondah believes that teachers are the driving force of quality education that can lead Liberia to progress and prosperity.
“Never ask your students for sex in exchange for grades; uphold the ethical and moral standards of this noble profession. Serve as a role model for people emulate. Serve as good examples in the community and society”.
According to her, there are approximately 22,000 unqualified teachers in Liberia out of 44,000 teachers teaching in 5,000 primary and secondary schools in the country which create a huge gap for more to be done in the educational system as teachers are the bedrock of a vibrant generation.
She stated that it is only qualify and competent teachers with strong moral principles that are able to excellently perform and build the younger generation of professionals in Liberia.
“A quack or unqualified teacher is dangerous to our educational system just as a quack doctor is to the health system. Do we stand any chance of having sustainable development in the absence of quality education impacted by qualified and competent teachers? We are woefully short in meeting our target on this object as contained in the theme. We have to patch up and catch up with providing 22,000 trained teachers to replace the unqualified ones. Then we have to train new batch of teachers to keep the process rolling. This is a huge task. But it is not insurmountable”, Nimba District Representative Aspirant Intoned.
Meanwhile, Sondah further challenged the graduates to exhibit moral values; stressing, that they prove themselves capable of the objectives that led them to choosing such career path.
“To you the graduates, it is your term to take the challenge and demonstrate your worth and value. Prove yourselves valuable to your parents and friends who aspire to see quality in your prints forward. Never let yourselves down in mediocrity because you want to make ends meet. Never sell your pride and integrity for a cup of rice, no matter how hungry you may be”.
She however admonished administrators and staff of ACIDA to demonstrate high level of Professionalism and ethical principles that will drive parents of the school’s standards.
Sondah Gepea Wilson is a lawyer, an advocate and a politician. She is the Executive Director for Special Emergency Activities to Rescue Children Hope (Search).