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The Director of the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP), Steve Ursino
has urged students, especially the ones of
voting age to take advantage of the Voters’
Registration exercise to enable them vote
during the October 11 elections.
Besides urging students to take
advantage of the ongoing Voters’
Registration process, he also advised them
to encourage their parents and guardians to
do likewise.
The UNDP boss made the statement at the
Monrovia City Hall during the launch of a
nationwide Inter-High School Debate. The
program was organized by the Public
Information Session of the United Nation
Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) in collaboration
with the Ministry of Education at the
Monrovia City Hall.
Commenting on the debate which was the
fulcrum of the occasion, the debate would
provide opportunities for Liberian youths to
express their concerns on the political,
social and economic prospects of the nation.
He pledged UNDP’s fullest support to the
exercise which is intended to mould the
minds of the youths who he are said to be
the future leaders of Liberia.
Also speaking at the program, the UNMIL
Chief of Public Information, Christine
Koemer said, “The debates will center on
selected topics and are to be used to raise
the awareness of high school students on a
number of issues.”
She named some of the topics as “national
leadership, civic responsibilities,
patriotism, human right, HIV/AIDS and the
peace process.”
She furthered that as part of the
reintegration process, ex-combatants who are
enrolled in regular schools have been
encouraged to participate in the debates
because “their participation will be
significant in the transformation of Liberia
from war to peace.”
“We are targeting students in higher
grades because we believe that with informed
minds, they can positively influence other
members of their respective communities,”
Ms. Koerner said.
For his part the, Assistant Minister of
Education, Sylvester Singbe said government
would do everything to support such venture.
According to him, the Ministry of
Education might the event an “annual event”
and called on the international community
for support.
At the launching ceremony, Jimmy Jolocon
High School was victorious over Boatswain
High School following heated debate on the
topic: “Liberia’s Past Political Problem: A
Result of Poor Leadership or Illiteracy.”
About 60 schools from the various counties
are expected to participate in the debates
and the winner will receive a trophy.
At the same time, slides on HIV/AIDS were
shown to the students.
The Minister of Gender and Development,
Mrs. Varbah Gayflor, UNDP and Policy Adviser
Charles Achodo, county education officers
and other senior members of government were
among 300 students at the launching
ceremony.
In a related development, the Community
Outreach Department of United Nation Mission
In Liberia (UNMIL) will shortly denote
several basketball items to the Liberia
Basketball Federation (LBF).
According to report gathered by our Sports
desk, the package is part of the COD’s
campaign to reach out to the people through
sport. |
