In the town of Tubmanburg, Bomi County, the early childhood education (ECE) class at H.Q. Taylor Elementary Public School is bursting with song. Teacher Asatu Roberts calls out a phrase and her students respond while clapping. With everyone engaged, learning is underway.

Asatu was trained and certified to teach ECE thanks to a GPE-funded grant to the Government of Liberia to improve early learning. Her sunlit classroom has learning materials decorating the walls; around the perimeter are a variety of learning centers – math, literacy and language, science, music and art, blocks – and the schedule on the blackboard lets students know what to expect for the day.

Asatu’s training was part of Liberia’s Getting to Best in Education (G2B) Project, supported by a GPE grant of US$11.5 million for 2018-2023, and managed by the World Bank. The program improved teacher quality in ECE and primary education, as well as equitable access to ECE in targeted counties.

Liberia’s education sector faces a complex set of challenges related to rebuilding and recovering from civil war, constrained national finances and limited infrastructure. The government, with the support of partners, has been addressing low learning levels, a high number of out-of-school children, and many unqualified teachers through G2B.

School grants to improve early childhood education

School grants aimed to reduce ECE fees and thereby increase enrollment for families and communities that could previously not access services due to the financial barrier.

Across all counties targeted by the program, 523 ECE schools received grants, benefiting over 58,700 students over a period of three years. Over the first two years, enrollment grew more than 25% in the schools receiving the grants.

In addition to reducing school fees, the grants helped improve school infrastructure, including classroom renovations like painting and reroofing, as well as library upgrades. Such improvements contributed to creating a better learning environment, which positively impacted students' overall learning experience.

Community-based early childhood education

Access to ECE is particularly challenging in rural communities with no existing school-based ECE classrooms. To make early learning available in these areas, GPE funded the establishment of 20 community-based ECE centers and the training of 60 caregivers to work with children and manage the centers.

Over 1,250 preschool students benefit from the centers, many of whom are young girls who are accessing education services for the first time.

Key components of the caregiver training included early childhood development foundations; pedagogy and content; teaching practice; business planning; and management. Caregivers received a monthly stipend of US$70 for managing the centers over two academic years.

Teacher training and certification

To improve the quality of ECE, the government prioritized training and certifying ECE teachers, which required designing an in-service training program. Previously, ECE teachers were trained for a certificate in primary education and had no ECE-specific training. Many teachers entered the profession with no training at all.

With GPE support, 380 ECE teachers were trained and certified. The training covered learning foundations, early childhood development pedagogy and content, and teaching practice.

The intervention also trained and certified 356 previously unqualified primary school teachers, focusing on teaching fundamentals, content in four core subjects (language arts, math, social studies, and science), pedagogy and teaching practice.

Strengthening school leadership

Improving the management of schools is critical to strengthening Liberia’s education sector. GPE funding supported the development and delivery of a school principal certification program for 876 school principals in public schools at the basic education level.

A fifth of trainees were female principles, of which there are only few throughout Liberia, thus helping strengthen their skills as school leaders and role models within their communities.

Principals were trained in school quality improvement; school management and leadership; school administration; teacher supervision, management and support; parent-teacher association and community engagement and participation; and financial management.

The dedication of a wide range of stakeholders through the G2B program contributed greatly to improving education for children in the southeastern region of Liberia.

The Liberian government and partners have built on the lessons learned from G2B, informing an analysis of the education system and how it can be transformed for the better.

They have committed, in their Partnership Compact, to ensuring that future generations of children in Liberia achieve the foundational literacy and numeracy skills they need to thrive.