Liberia Launches US$88.7M EXCEL Program to Fix Foundational Learning Crisis - FrontPageAfrica

Monrovia, Liberia — The Government of Liberia on Monday officially launched the Excellence in Learning in Liberia (EXCEL) Project, a five-year, nationwide education reform initiative aimed at addressing deep gaps in foundational literacy and numeracy across the country.

By Patience M. Jones

The high-level launch, held at the Monrovia City Hall in Sinkor, brought together President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, international development partners, lawmakers, educators, students, and civil society representatives.

EXCEL is jointly financed by the Government of Liberia, the World Bank, and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), with technical and implementation support from UNICEF and other partners. The program is guided by the motto “Strong Foundation, Lasting Impact.”

Boakai: ‘We Are About the Next Generation’

Making the keynote address, President Boakai described education as the cornerstone of Liberia’s future and warned against treating reform as a short-term political exercise.

“We are not about the next election; we are about the next generation,” President Boakai said. “If we get education right, we get the future right.”

He stressed that EXCEL goes beyond infrastructure and training, targeting the very foundation of learning on which national development depends. The President said the program aligns directly with his ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, particularly its focus on human capital.

“This is not just a project,” Boakai said. “It is an investment in reducing inequality, strengthening communities, and building a more inclusive Liberia.”

He urged the Legislature to ensure timely ratification and support for education financing, cautioning that delays could jeopardize critical funding. The President also called on parents, teachers, community leaders, and development partners to take collective ownership of the reform.

“Let excellence be the standard—not the exception—in Liberian education,” he added.

World Bank: Largest Education Investment Ever

World Bank Liberia Country Manager Georgia Wallen described EXCEL as a turning point in Liberia’s education journey, noting that it represents the largest education investment in the history of the World Bank–Liberia partnership.

Quoting Nelson Mandela, Wallen said education remains “the most powerful weapon” for change, but warned that Liberia’s learning outcomes are alarming.

“Too many Liberian children struggle not because of lack of ability, but because of the quality of education they receive,” she said.

EXCEL, she disclosed, is backed by US$60 million in World Bank financing and a US$28.7 million grant from the Global Partnership for Education, with additional support from UNICEF, the European Union, bilateral partners, and NGOs.

Unlike past interventions, Wallen said, EXCEL focuses on system-wide reform, teacher effectiveness, safe learning environments, accountability, and data-driven decision-making.

“When Liberian children excel, Liberia excels,” she said.

Minister Jallah: From Enrollment to Real Learning

Education Minister Dr. Jarso Maley Jallah said Liberia’s education challenge has shifted from access to actual learning outcomes.

“Too many children can write words they cannot read,” Dr. Jallah said. “That quiet reality defines the crisis we must now confront.”

She explained that while school enrollment has expanded significantly over the past two decades, mastery of foundational skills has lagged behind. EXCEL, she said, is designed to reverse that trend by prioritizing early childhood education and primary-grade literacy and numeracy.

Dr. Jallah described EXCEL as a disciplined, five-year national reform fully aligned with Liberia’s Education Sector Plan and the ARREST Agenda.

“EXCEL will not be judged by today’s launch,” she said. “It will be judged by better reading outcomes, stronger teacher support, and reduced disparities across counties.”

Nationwide Reach and Impact

Project officials said EXCEL will cover more than 2,000 public schools across all 15 counties, reaching 73 political districts and 124 education districts.

Key components include curriculum reform and structured pedagogy to improve foundational learning; training and support for over 12,000 teachers and 4,600 school leaders; construction and rehabilitation of climate-resilient primary schools; school grants and violence-prevention programs; and strengthened national assessment, data, and accountability systems.

The program is expected to benefit more than 375,000 learners, along with teachers, administrators, and communities nationwide. Estimated investment averages about US$500,000 per political district.

High Returns, Long-Term Sustainability

Economists involved in the project estimate an internal rate of return of 18.6 percent, with particularly strong social and economic benefits for girls.

Sustainability measures include government budget commitments and provisions in Liberia’s education laws that allocate revenues from extractive and agricultural concessions to education.

Stakeholders agreed that EXCEL marks a decisive shift toward evidence-based, accountable, and inclusive education reform, aimed at ensuring that Liberian children not only attend school—but truly learn.

As President Boakai concluded:
“The classroom of today must become the foundation of tomorrow’s prosperity.”