HN 831 L5M83 MORRIS RURAL DEVELOPMENT: THE LIBERIAlM EXPER- IENCE \}^ THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES WEJ:TY..?IRST CONF'SRSKCS of the XKTERANTIONAL dialogues in west AFRICA EURAI, DSVELOPiaiNT SQ JULY - 2 AUGUST 197^'^, KTJMASI , GHANA , RURAL DE^^nSLOPMSKTs THE LIBERIAW EXPERIENCE presented by DR. JOSEPH a., MORRIS, ASSISTAJ^T HINISTER OF ELUCATIOII FOR INSTRUCTION, ^ ''' REPUBLIC OP LIBERIA TVJENTY- FIRST CONFERENCE OF THE INTSRNATIOliAL DIALOGUES IN WEST AFRICA THEr-E; RURAL DEVELOPMENT '^ ^>. KU>14SI, GHAI-IA; JULY-AUGUST 197^ Fellow Participants: I v/ant to first of all express my gratitude to the organisers of this important foriin on Rural Development. For a very long time now, educationalists have considered and discussed the pros and cons of rural development. They 'i^TtVir. searched for, and formulated various strategies aimed at tackling this crucial ti-.sk. In my attempt to share in this Dialogue on. rural development, I hcive decided to refrain from the philosophical and sociological treatment of this subject; but rather to give you a brief insight into v.'hat V7e in Liberia are endeavouring to do to cope vjith tliis great issue. It is for this reason that I have decided to speak to you briefly on the topic, Rural Dovelopmentr The Libcrian Experience. 3023676 RUfLU; DEVELOPI^ENT'J THE LIBERIAN EXPERIENCE ■^ • National Development_Po_licj/; 1.1 In May 1972, the National Planning Council, vmder the leadership of President V/illiair R. Tolbert, adopted a statement of national development objectives and priorities. The major thrust of this policy statement was that socio-economic development activities should aim at achieving a balanced and sustained progress of all parts of the country and all the people through integrated rural and urban regional development programmes. 1,? Within the national development policy, the hi ghest pri ori ty w a s acco r ded_ to integrated rural development through regiona l plan ning covering the sectors, agriculture; education, health, and transportation and communication as vrell as public administration. The strategy advocated for this purpose envis'aged a multi-discip!linary approach centred on economic and geographic growth poles in the region and stressed functional linkagesbetv'/een various sectors to achieve mutual reinforcement of their programmes of social and economic development. 1.3 This integrated approach to rural development involves the establishicent of a network of rural coranunity growth centres in selected areas of a region, and sub-regional and regional urban growth poles in order to achieve a balanced socio-econorpic development at the regional, sub-regional and local levels. 1.^ The rural development strategy adopted by Liberia is aimed at involving all the people in the development process and ensuring the spread of benefits of economic growth, especially among the 70 per cent of the population in the rural areas pr*iirarily engaged in pub&istence agriculture. This large section has contributed very little to the economic development of the country and has gained very little from it. The impressive econoiric grcvjth rate of Liberia during the last two decades {6.1% annual GDP grovth froiri 1S'53 to 1962 and 10.2;? from 196;5 to 1972) had mainly benefitted the foreign business firms and expatriates, and a small privilef.ud group of Liberian business fii^ms and nationals. Approximately 50 per cent of Liberia's national income accrued to the former group and 2^% to the latter. The large majority of rural population received only 25 per cent of the gains of economic grovrth, and was also disadvantaged in terms of levels of income, provision of social services and the quality of life as compared to the \-irban areas. 2 . Implementation of Inte grated R ural Development Policy 2. 1 In implementation of its policy of integrated rural development, the Governir.ent has decided , among other things, to select progressively- as a first phase 200 rural comj-nunities as models for development throughout the country. These communities are seen not only as a base for promoting agricultural production through provision of the related infrastructure but also with all social services necessary to improve the quality of rural life and as centres of development initiative and self-help in the rural areas. 2.2 The selected communities wAl be developed as grovjth poles for the neighbouring areas through an inter-disciplinary and inter-mini stori al coopera"uion, in conjunction with the County Superintendents and local farmers' associations or cooperatives, to include progressively and as the means -^re available, the follcv.'ing related, inter-linked and mutuallv supporting sectoral activities in appra>f irnate order of priority; (1) Multipurpose community centres with facilities for: (i) primary schools , including annexes for student feeding and for providing training in home economics and manual arts, and school gardens for instruction and practical trai:iing in agriculture; (ii) health clinics and family health education? (iii) safe water supply; (iv) postal services (including saving banks), telegraph and telephone, and radio. (2) Farms adjoining or near the community centres for demonstration, training and/or production to promote agricultural production and diversification. (3) Facilities for distribution of farm inputs; collection points for produce marketing and storage; and centres for agricultural credit and simple processing where feasible. (h) Parm-to-market roads. (5) Village housing and physical improvement. (6) Service and rural industries. (7) Rural electrification. !5» Comi.m_unity School as the_ Nucle\is of Multipurpose Pairal Coiniauni^y Centre 3o 1 The minimum package programme for the development of rural communities cannot be oi^ovided immediately or simulta.neously , but it must comie in stages which m.ust be well planned and coordinatec to achieve effective results. The crucial role of education for the development of human resources needed for the programme of integrated rural development being obvious, the Ministry of Education developed the first major m\iltidisciplinary programme of integrated rural education and cojimunity development, knoi-m as the Community Schools Programme . J/.2 I vra3 personally associated with the developirient of the Community Schools Program.T.e from the beginning and continue to be in charge of its operations. The coiTimunity school was seen as the spearhead of the multipurpose rural comrrvmity centre, and is aimed at improving the quality of education in the rural schools and also to servo as nucleus of community development activities. The main features of this programme are described in the following paragraphs. 3-2.1 DG"''''elppment and improvement of rural primary schools j^n__;the_ 200 _ rural communities selected for multi-phase d de velopment vjas considered a basic com.ponent of the comiTiunity school programme. Each school was provided with the follov/ing additional facilities: 1. 25 acres of land for developing a school vejgetable garden and small scale agricultural activities for providirg instruction and practical work in agriculture for stxidents of grades 5 and 6. The major part of the land was left for development by the Ministry of Agriculture to serve as a demonstration/extension farm centre. 2. An annex comprising: (a) a dining room with kitchen for the student feeding progra;nme; after school hours the dining room vras available for functional literacy classes and community education activities; (b) a home economics room for providing instruction to students of grades 5 and 6; after sbhool hours, its facilities v;ere to be availed of for training rural women in home arts; (c) a m.anual arts room for giving practical training in basic crafts to students of grades 5 and 6; after school hours, the same facilities were to be utilised for training rural youth in basic crafts; and 3. Safe v;-ater supply and latrines for improved sanitation. The coinmunity schools in 100 selected rural cornmunities he.ve so far been provided with these additional facilities and hcive been equipped for their new role. 3.2.2 T^'^e^ train ing of a new type of teacher who would al so be equipped to play a role i n im plementing t he work-oriented programipe in the school and in corrj nuni ty develo pment a cti viti es is another key element in the programme. The Rural Primary Teacher Training Institute at Kakata has developed a new teacher training curriculuiri for a three-year course for junior high school graduates (completion of nine years of school) consisting of the followingi 1. Academic studies in language arts, 53'? of time allocated social studies, science, mathematics and health and physical education 2. Edvieation including educationaJ 20/c' of time allocated psychology'' i teaching methodology ^ and materials, and school experience (supervised observation and teaching practice) 3. Training in v;ork-oriented areas 17.5/^ of time allocated of agriculture > home economics and m.anual arts k. Training in comjnunity development 7.5/-' of time allocated techniques, including elementary socio-economic surveys The first batch of trained teachers according to this new prograrrjme graduated in December, 1973 and all 35 of them were posted to the coirimunity schools. The output is expected to increase to about 50 per year from 1975 and to about 100 per year from 1979. Considering that the number of trained teachers will rise gradually, further measures v;ere taken to increase tlie teacher supply, especially in the work-oriented areas of agriculture, horae ecoriomics and manual arts, as follows? (a) A special course in agricultural instruction and development of school gardens v/as organised for 15 selected in-service teachers and will be continued to meet the requirements of corjiiunity schools; (b) A six-month course, which has nov; been extended to one year, is in operation for training hone economics teachers. By July 197^1-, about 50 such teachers vrould have been trained (25 of then are already in position in the community schools) and (c) Graduates of vocational schools were recruited to impart practical work in manual arts. However, they lack in educational methodology, and alternative methods of having, better teachers in this vrork-orierted area^ are being explored. Another measure to improve the quality of teachers in the community schools was the organisation of short-term vacation courses for in-service teachers, principals and supervisory personnel to orient them in new teaching methods and rural •; development techniques. 5.2.3 The ref orm of primary school curricu lir. i with a vievr t o maki ng it m ore rele'vant to the rural environm.ent and miore respons ive to rural d evelopment needs is also a vital factor and the revision of curriculum has also begun. As it is a long-term process, a start has been made with some essential elements of reform, such as courses of instruction and practical work in agriculture, home economi.cs and manual arts. The trial of these courses in selected com.munity schools is already under way. 3.2.4 A progr amme of functi onal lite racy and c om.munity education_ha_s alsq_been__develo2ed and should start functioning at 20 centres in selected comji^.unity schools from. August 197^. To begin with, functional li&erecy classes mil cover farmers, but these will be gradually extended t« train I'ural women in home econom.ics and rural youth in basic crafts. 3-3 By the end of 197^s we hope to achieve the following progress! 1 . Additional facilities would have been provided at 100 community schools in the form of land, additional buildings and other facilities. 2. Agricultural instruction and production programme would have been started in 15 - 20 community schools, The Rural Youth Programme of the Ministry of Agriculture will participate in the agricultural production programme on school land through 4h clubs already formed at 20 comraunity schools. 3. Home economics programme will be in operation in about 50 community schools. 4. r^Ianual arts programme will be in operation in 15 community schools. 5. Functional literacy projects v/ould have been started at 20 centres at the comjnunity schools. 3'-'+ It is a modest but hopeful beginning. There are also many problems and difficulties, especially the shortage of qualified manpower for the various tasks, but these are being tackled with vigour and determination. The promise held out by the Coirraunity Schools Programm.e must be fulfilled to assist in the nation-building programme of integrated rural development. 4 . Internati9nal Aid 4.1 The national co:Timitment to the Conununity Schools Programme v.'as helped in no small measure by the generous international and bilateral assistance made available by the UN Development Programme through UIJESCO, UNICEP, International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, V/orld Food Programme, CARE, US Peace Corps and British Volunteers. 4.2 The international aid has been v/elcome in vievj of the paucity of financial and h'jjnan resources needed for a pi-ogramme of such complexity and magnitude, but this should 8 be vievfed as a transient phase to the ultimate goal of achieving self-sust-ni r." rii- prccress ?.nd self-suf f icioncy in the national dtvelGprnent programme, 5. Conclusion 5.1 - Education and training are important to rural transformation and involvement of the rural people, who constitute the majority of the population, in the development process. But much more is needed to promote economic activity through modernisation of agriculture and ancillary activities to generate more inoom.e in the rural sector to enable them to have their proper share in the benefits or economic devslopment. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY Los Angeles This book is DUE on the last date stani|jecl below. ■^-^.v.^^' 3 1158 00474 3109 D 001 056 299 9 -^o,