A Liberian international aid worker has called on graduates of the Kakata Rural Teacher Training Institute (KRTTI) to recognize and embrace their critical role in shaping the nation’s future.
Mr. Sylvester Ndorbor Morlue, a UNICEF staffer based in Sudan’s Darfur region, guest speaking over the weekend in Kakata, Margibi County at the graduation of KRTTI’s C-Certificate Cohort 14 ceremony, described teachers as “keepers of the key” to Liberia’s progress.
“Education is the key, and teachers are the keepers,” Morlue declared, as he addressed the 54 newly certified teachers—comprising 42 males and 12 females—from across five counties, including Margibi, Montserrado, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Bassa, and Rivercess.
Mr. Morlue emphasized the transformative power of education, noting its impact on economic empowerment and societal development, adding that, “each additional year of secondary education can increase a woman’s earnings by up to 20% and lift 420 million people globally out of poverty.”
He urged the graduates to instill resilience, curiosity, confidence, and character in their students, describing education as a force that reverberates through generations.
“As keepers of the ‘KEY,’ you hold the power to break the cycle of poverty,” he stated.
Mr. Morlue admonished the new teachers to become dynamic facilitators and lifelong learners and adapt 21st-century education, including technological advancement, diverse learning needs—and evolving pedagogies.
He stressed the enduring influence of educators, citing American historian Henry Adams: “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.”
He, however, praised the Liberian government, particularly the Ministry of Education, for renewed efforts to promote critical thinking and inclusive education.
Continuing, Mr. Morlu stating that, “we can construct our best classrooms, but without teachers, those buildings will have no impact.”
He at the same time urged the graduates to uphold ethical standards, avoid corrupt practices, and view themselves as “guardians of dreams and champions of education.”
“Graduates,” he said, “go forth as keepers of knowledge, and help shape the future of Liberia.”
