(LINA) -Deputy Education Minister for Administration- designate, Aagon Tingba, has called for budgetary increase for the Ministry of Education to meet its challenges.

He told the Senate Standing Committee on Education and Public Administration Wednesday that his responsibility covers the financial and human resource aspects of the ministry.

“In addressing the financial aspect, a glance at the ministry’s 2014/2015 portion of the national budget limits its intentions to cover the 73 electoral and 98 education districts of Liberia,’’ he noted.

Tingba explained that a quick analysis of the ministry’s budget since 2012/2013 fiscal year to present shows that the portion of the national budget being allocated to the Education Ministry is curved around six to seven percent.

The nominee stated that pillar three of the Agenda for Transformation (AFT) focuses on restoring basic education through expanding access and improving quality education by rebuilding educational facilities, providing learning materials, training teachers and introducing accelerated learning for older learners.

He pointed out that these transformative agenda are embedded with constraints in achieving the ministry’s strategic objectives, noting that if confirmed, he will ensure the establishment, management and supervision of all schools in Liberia in consonance with the Education Reforms Act of 2011.

Also appearing before the Committee Wednesday, Deputy Education Minister for Instruction-designate, Dr. Romel Horton, promised to discourage ghost names on the ministry’s payroll and ensure that teachers receiving government salary remain committed to the classroom.

Dr. Horton emphasized the need to employ trained teachers in the school system, stressing that this would ensure quality learning in the country.

The nominee said if confirmed, she will place strong emphasis on Early Childhood Education program because Liberia’s problem is the lack of “strong foundation’’ which usually leads to mass failure of Liberian students.
LINA RS/GDJ/PTK