Liberia Education Ministry Launches Supplementary Book

The Ministry of Education has launched a supplementary text book for elementary schools in Liberia titled: "Sara and the Plum Tree Palaver."

According to the Deputy Minister for Instruction at the Ministry of Education, Hawah Goll-Kotchi, the book is intended to resolve conflict among Liberians and the children and can also help to institute peace in the society.

Minister Kotchi said the concept of the Liberian version of Sara and the plum Tree Palaver is from an East Africa literature which teaches peace and reconciliation She stressed that the book is one of government's initiatives to achieve transformative education that is characterized by peace building, conflict sensitivity as well as conflict prevention among children in the society.

Minister Kotchi made the statement Tuesday when she officially launched the book at the Gray D. Allison School on the UN-Drive in Monrovia. The launch was graced by students of the school and government officials.

Meanwhile, the Representative of the U.N. Children Fund (UNICEF), Sheldon Yett, has said that the celebration of 10 years of uninterrupted peace is remarkable progress for Liberia.

Representative Yett said it is a privilege to be a partner of the Liberian government, to ensure that basic social services are made available to all children in Liberia.

He observed that Sara and the Plum Tree Palaver is not just a story, but a communication tool which emphasizes the importance of solving dispute through peaceful dialogue.

The UNICEF Representative disclosed that the book will be distributed to thousands of students in over 50 schools throughout the country and that selected schools are those participating in peace building, education and advocacy programs funded by the Government of Netherlands.