IDI Alarms Over Education Allotment Cut -In Draft National Budget

The Inclusive Development Initiative (IDI), a non-for-profit, non-governmental, disabled people organization, has alarmed over education sector allotment cut in the draft budget by the government of Liberia.

In a press statement read by its Executive Director, Mr Alonzo Dorian Dixon on August 14, 2020, IDI it is surprised and dissatisfied by the decrease in the draft National Budget of 2020/2021 fiscal year of 14.5% allocation to the Education sector.

It can be recalled that the Executive submitted the draft National Budget to the National Legislature on July 15, 2020.

According to the organization, in the draft National Budget of 2020/2021 fiscal year that is currently before the National Legislature, the Education sector is allotted USD $77,937,293 million, which represents 14.5%; but the approved Education sector National Budget of 2019/2020, which preceded the recast National Budget placed the Education sector at USD $83.4 million which represented 15.8%.

“Therefore, IDI and coalition partners of the More-for-Education campaign want to make it clear that there is a decrease of the Education sector allocation in the draft National Budget of 2020/2021 fiscal year. The draft National Budget of 2020/2021 is at USD $535.5 million, and USD $77,937,293 million allotted to the Education sector that represents 14.5%. If you approve the draft National Budget of 2020/2021 without any increase, Lawmakers of the National Legislature, it means that the Government of Liberia (Executive, Legislature and Judiciary) is decreasing support to improving Education in Liberia,” the statement said.

IDI and its coalition partners of the More-for-Education campaign then appeal request all lawmakers of the 54th National Legislature to sign up and increase the National Budget for the Education sector to a minimum 20% or maintain the 15.8% previous allocation of the 2019/2020 fiscal year; something it said will demonstrate that the Government of Liberia, is committed to supporting and improving Education in Liberia.

“We are also calling on Education stakeholders in the country to join the campaign in advocating and raising awareness for the National Budget of the Education sector to be increased to minimum 20% by 2020/2021 fiscal year,” it further said.

IDI used the occasion to reveal that, in collaboration with its partners, it is implementing the last year of the More-for-Education campaign in Liberia.

It continued: “IDI and coalition partners of the More-for-Education campaign have been engaging Education stakeholders and policy makers including Lawmakers of the 54th National Legislature to allocate minimum 20% of the National Budget for the Education sector by 2020/2021 fiscal year.”

In addition, IDI and coalition partners of the More-for-Education campaign conducted different assessments and researches of which copies of the reports were distributed to the offices of all103 Lawmakers and the office of the Vice President of Liberia. We hope the Lawmakers and the Vice President will find time to read the assessment/research reports.

Meanwhile, IDI and coalition partners of the More-for-Education campaign want to join efforts with the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MoHSW), and the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) to beat COVID-19 out of Liberia. They also called on the public to follow the public health measures and protocols announced by the Government of Liberia.