Liberia has one of the world’s highest levels of out-of-school children. This reality is even more pronounced for children with disabilities.
He usually prefers to go straight to class, sit quietly and wait, avoiding the rush after the flag-raising ceremony. Milo is eight years old and has a birth defect that forces him to walk with a wooden crutch and move more slowly than others. He waits patiently on his bench at the front of the classroom, facing the blackboard. At the beginning of November, the K2 classroom is dark, with only a faint glimmer of light filtering through the two narrow, barred openings in one wall. There is no electricity this morning, yet another power cut... The quiet is short-lived, giving way to a hubbub as all the children rush into their respective classrooms. There are about forty of them crowded onto the benches, boys and girls, sometimes of quite different ages, all dressed in green and yellow uniforms. Well, not all of them: one boy and two girls are dressed normally. They have probably joined the school recently. Here, they are called ‘the Back to School children’.
MILO, 8 YEARS OLD
“Yes, later on I want to go to the United States and
become a doctor!”
Principal Edward Geedehgar points out that nearly 50 new pupils joined the Rilo Foundation Education School at the start of the school year in September. "These new pupils are part of the Back to My Classroom campaign. As there were not enough places available in state schools here in Buchanan, the government also asked certain private schools to take them in. It was important for us to respond, as all children have the right to education.‘ Their arrival has not been without its challenges, particularly in terms of capacity. ’Our school already has more than 400 pupils and we try to limit class sizes to 45 pupils. Since September, there have been 50 pupils in some classes, but we haven't received any additional chairs or benches. But hey, we're managing!"
The ‘back to school’ children do not pay registration fees. However, there are still costs for materials such as uniforms, which many parents cannot afford. In order not to hinder their access to school, the school has decided to allow these new arrivals not to wear uniforms.
The ‘back to school’ children do not pay registration fees
Milo wears it proudly. His older sister, by selling small items in the bush, managed to raise the money needed for it, as well as for his bag, notebook and pencil. But as a child with a disability, he has other concerns. ‘One of the main challenges that children like him face in Liberia is bullying, insults and sometimes even violence,’ she laments. ‘Other children can be quite cruel, especially at school. They make fun of you, don't want you to join in their games, so many children with disabilities feel ashamed and withdraw into themselves.’ Fortunately, this is not the case for Milo, who has many friends who come to play with him regularly. ‘Sometimes I have to intervene to get them to give him a break. They tend to forget his condition and demand too much of him!’ laughs his sister.
Milo didn't start school until he was seven. ‘No money,’ says his sister, a short, simple, obvious answer that so many parents and children give when asked about school attendance. Here in Grand Bassa County, but almost everywhere else in the country too.
“But he’s a smart boy, so there’s no reason for him to sit at home doing nothing. He has to go to school.” Milo adds, “Yes, later on I want to go to the United States and become a doctor!”
Is education out of reach for them ?
A short distance from the private school, on the main road through Buchanan, other children with disabilities have found refuge. There are nine of them in the room, not with crutches to lean on, but with white canes to help them navigate their surroundings.
The Grand Bassa School for the Blind has two small dormitories, one for girls and one for boys. ‘Transportation remains an insurmountable cost for too many families,’ explains George Zorkor, the school's director, who is himself blind. ‘And that's even for those who live in the bush, not just in Buchanan.’ Once again, it's a question of money... Yet the school is free, with no fees charged to parents. But they still need to be convinced. According to the headmaster, that's the real challenge. ‘Parents are often convinced that if their child is blind or has another disability, education is automatically out of reach for them, that they are inevitably outside the system.’ He explains that it is not uncommon for parents to go to the fields or the market and leave their blind child alone at home, sometimes for a whole day. With just a bucket of water and a cup attached to a rope so that the child can find it. Some parents leave a little rice, others just water for the day. ‘Children with disabilities are too often rejected in this country, and it is even more difficult for the blind. So their parents are ashamed, ashamed of this child who becomes a burden to them. But it is not necessarily their fault; they too often have not received an education, have not been to school, or left school too early. They are so poor.’
At school, George teaches them Braille, how to read and write it. Joseph, 13, gives us a demonstration using his braille tablet. Punch by punch, the white sheet is covered with raised dots, all of which represent letters. Once finished, his neighbour, Prince Joe, also 13, reads the coded characters with his fingertips. A, B, C, D... The 26 letters of the alphabet. Although they are happy to have been able to attend school, they are eagerly awaiting December. They will go home to spend time with their families.
Continue their education at a regular college
Schools for blind children are extremely rare in Liberia, a reality that becomes more pronounced the further you travel from Monrovia. George's school is essential to Buchanan and Grand Bassa County, but it is sorely lacking in resources. ‘We manage to survive thanks to the churches. Their donations enable us to pay the rent and feed our pupils. But of course, it's not enough to buy better equipment.’ The school has only one braille tablet, which is completely insufficient. Its headmaster would like to acquire more, as well as a Perkins Brailler, a type of braille typewriter that makes learning so much easier for students. ‘Obviously, my ultimate dream would be for each of my students to learn to read and write with a computer, but well...’
Before leaving us, George proudly tells us about his former pupils, such as Moses and others, who are now in Monrovia and continuing their education in regular colleges.