SOS Schools in Liberia

SOS Nursery School Juah Town

During the period under review, the project enjoyed the same stability like her counterpart in Monrovia. New teacher recruited to strengthen the system, and improve the service provided to individual students. The Curriculum was revised to include Quantitative Reasoning and Verbal Aptitude in Group 3, and children are very excited with their work.

Currently, there are 99 children cared for by six teachers/care-givers. The strength of the project lies in the hard working nature of the administration and the educators, and their experience too. Last year, over aged children from the community joined the Nursery school in the second term, and they were successfully prepared to start grade school work by the end of the the academic year. SOS Nursery School Juah Town, and due to the nature and the background of the Juah Town community, emphasized in providing accelerated work with over-aged children.  We had some children in the second term, and were challenged to see them promoted.  There were nine of them, and some could not communicate in English, and our indefatigable teachers worked them to first grade standard by the end of the year.  Our secret has been not only hard work, but also the enthusiasm with which we embrace them and encourage them to work extra, even in the evenings. 

SOS Primary and Secondary School Juah Town

The combined SOS Primary and Secondary School opened in 2000. It, together with the SOS Nursery School, was closed during the civil war. It reopened in 2005. It has 315 pupils in twelve classes

SOS School Juah Town

This secondary school is still in transition and has now reached the level of eighth grade. Principal is recruited newly, even though he had been a teacher in the school for some years. The majority of the teachers are also new because their predecessors were deselected in the interest of quality enhancement.
Academic excellence has been the primary thrust thus far, but unavailability of teachers was the main constraint for a long time. Teachers resigned not long after they took up appointment because the environment was too rural for their comfort. Others declined taking up appointment because they considered the SOS standard very demanding, and would rather settle for a cozy condition.

The encouraging side of it all is Administration continues to strive for excellent standards, not to fall below the standard of the past, producing the student with the best result in grade 6 National Exams in Grand Bassa County. What is remarkable this year is the enrollment of 129 students (70 males, 59 females), the highest yet since the establishment of the school. The academic performance of students thus far has been good and there is need to uphold this standard.
The Principal was part of the capacity-building workshop held in Banjul for Principals and NEA’s of the Region, and was orientated to ensure quality in the delivery of Education. He plans reproducing the same workshop for the benefit of co-workers; and to motivate all towards quality assurance. 


From the social standpoint, the end of the first test was punctuated with a none-to-beat “back to school dance”. Students danced their anxiety away, and that gave them the opportunity for a fresh start to prepare for the second test. Career Day was similarly organised, exposing only the professions of teaching, medicine and Accounting this time.

The SOS School Juah Town will come of age only after she has taken her rightful place in Agriculture development.

SOS Nursery School Monrovia

The nursery school has improved academically this year, following the contributions of Assistant Regional Educational Advisor. Group 3 now pursues Quantitative Reasoning and Verbal Aptitude.  However, it has not been all academic; the children also played hard sports. The new students were somewhat fewer this year than before, and the old students formed a stronger team than the new ones. It was therefore no wonder that the old students won in the entire “acquaintance games contest” with large margins.

The story was rather different when the Micketta Preparatory School had friendly matches with our children.  Both the Old and the new pooled their expertise, and Micketta won a few games while SOS Nursery School won most of them. The convivial blend was a treat to all who watched the matches.

Field trips of the Year!

Walki Farm, situated in Careyburg, Montserrado County, was the venue, and only the group 3 class went for the trip. The children went to do environmental and zoological research. All were smartly dressed in their uniforms and armed with pens and notebooks to go and observe the environment and animals in the farm. One of the children said that he saw many animals, such as horses, sheep, goats, cows, fishes, etc. There was a lot of excitement and every child wanted to do it again.

On another note, the toddlers went to the National Office to share the tidings of Christmas with co-workers. Co-workers at the National Office enjoyed their melodious voices. They will be there again next year to remind all about “Silent Night, Holy Night” ……..

SOS Primary and Secondary School Monrovia

The combined SOS Primary and Secondary School Monrovia opened in 1985. Overall there are 350 pupils, 210 in primary and 140 in secondary.  This school continues to attract increasing recognition and patronage by members of the community and other dignitaries within and outside Liberia.  The latter part of the year under review witnessed the recruitment of a new Principal and a Vice-Principal after the successful completion of the contract terms of the former Principal and his two Vice-Principals.  In addition, thirteen (13) new teachers joined the morning session to replace the old ones, who similarly completed their contract terms.

A changed SOS School:

An afternoon session was created, starting with only grades 7 and 10 respectively.  Insufficient enrolment into the lower classes (grades 1, 2 & 3) made these classes not to come on board.  New teachers were recruited to teach in the afternoon shift.

Curriculum revision was done to afford the students a wider horizon to choose their careers.  New subjects introduced at the high school level include Accounting, Commerce, Government, and Further Mathematics.  At the primary level, Quantitative Reasoning and Verbal Aptitude were the new subjects.

Extra curricular injections were also done by introducing new Clubs that students have been participating in, such as Chess and Photography Clubs.

Increased Participation of Students in need:

The new school authority inaugurated a scholarship and fund-generating committee to assist needy students.  The Committee shall raise funds to add to funds realised through the renting of the school’s Facilities, to sponsor deserving students in need.  This was very much hailed at the Regional Workshop for Principals and NEAs held in the Gambia.  Other Schools were encouraged to emulate this.