The House of Representatives has unanimously passed a proposed legislation seeking to establish the Gharzon Vocational and Technical Institute in Grand Gedeh County and has subsequently forwarded the Bill to the Liberian Senate for concurrence.
The passage followed the presentation and adoption of a report from the House Committee on Education and Public Administration, which recommended the enactment of the legislation, citing the urgent need to expand access to technical and vocational education in southeastern Liberia.
Presenting the Committee’s report, lawmakers emphasized that the establishment of the institute would address growing concerns over youth unemployment and the limited availability of vocational and technical training opportunities in Grand Gedeh County and adjoining counties.
According to the Committee, the proposed institution will provide specialized training in various disciplines, including agriculture, carpentry, masonry, electrical installation, plumbing, information technology, auto mechanics, and other technical and entrepreneurial skills aimed at empowering young people and promoting self-reliance.
The Committee further observed that the creation of the institute aligns with the Government of Liberia’s educational decentralization agenda and national development priorities geared toward strengthening human capital development and workforce preparedness.
During deliberations, members of Plenary unanimously endorsed the Committee’s recommendations and subsequently passed the Bill, noting that technical and vocational education remains critical to national development, employment generation, poverty reduction, and economic transformation.
Lawmakers also underscored the importance of establishing additional technical and vocational institutions across the country to equip Liberia’s youthful population with marketable skills and reduce dependence on traditional academic pathways.
The bill was proposed by Grand Gedeh county District #3 Representative Jacob Deebee. Following its passage by the House, the proposed legislation has been transmitted to the Liberian Senate for concurrence in keeping with the bicameral legislative process prescribed under the Constitution of Liberia.
If concurred with by the Senate and subsequently approved by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, the Gharzon Vocational and Technical Institute will become one of the country’s emerging technical education institutions dedicated to skills development and manpower training in southeastern Liberia.
Observers believe the establishment of the institute could significantly contribute to youth empowerment, regional development, workforce development, and the creation of a skilled labor force capable of supporting Liberia’s long-term socio-economic growth and industrial transformation.
