By: Julius Konton
President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr. has praised the Booker Washington Institute (BWI) as one of Liberia’s most resilient and transformative institutions, describing it as a “pillar of technical and vocational education and a living symbol of national perseverance” during the school’s 97th Founders’ Day celebration held on its historic campus in Kakata, Margibi County.
The celebration, held under the theme “Honoring Our Founders, Celebrating Their Legacies toward the Centenary,” brought together government officials, diplomats, development partners including Prairie View A&M University, alumni, students, and faculty members.
BWI, established in 1929, stands as Liberia’s oldest technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institution.
As it approaches its centenary in just three years, it continues to serve as a national hub for producing skilled professionals in agriculture, engineering, industrial arts, and applied sciences.
Speaking at the ceremony, President Boakai reflected on BWI’s nearly century-long contribution to Liberia’s development, noting that the institution has survived some of the country’s most difficult historical periods.
“For ninety-seven years, Booker Washington Institute has stood as a beacon of excellence weathering political transitions, global economic shocks, public health crises, and the devastating years of civil conflict,” the President said.
Liberia’s 14-year civil crisis (1989–2003), which claimed an estimated 250,000 lives and displaced over 1.5 million people, severely weakened the country’s education system.
Yet institutions like BWI endured, preserving technical education when many schools collapsed.
“Many institutions disappeared, but BWI endured not because of buildings, but because of vision,” Boakai emphasized.
He added that the institution’s survival reflects Liberia’s broader national resilience and belief in human capital development as the country’s most valuable resource.
President Boakai underscored that Liberia’s recovery and future growth depend heavily on technical and vocational education, aligning BWI’s mission with the government’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (Agriculture, Roads, Rule of Law, Education, Sanitation, and Tourism).
He stressed that the goal is not only education, but employability and entrepreneurship.
“Liberia’s greatest wealth has never been beneath our soil alone, it walks our streets, farms our land, and sits in our classrooms,” he said.
According to Liberia’s education sector estimates, TVET institutions currently account for less than 10% of national secondary-level enrollment, a gap government officials have identified as a major constraint to industrial and infrastructure development.
Boakai reiterated that expanding TVET access is essential for reducing youth unemployment, which remains a pressing challenge, particularly among Liberia’s rapidly growing youth population, where over 60% are under the age of 25.
The President also highlighted BWI’s longstanding partnership with Prairie View A&M University of the United States, describing it as a model for international academic cooperation.
The collaboration has historically supported training in agriculture, engineering, teacher education, and applied sciences, while in recent years expanding into:
Digital learning systems
Climate-smart agriculture
Artificial intelligence and emerging technologies
Industrial innovation and research exchange
“These partnerships demonstrate that knowledge knows no borders,” Boakai noted, adding that global collaboration remains key to modernizing Liberia’s education system.
As Liberia accelerates its digital transformation agenda, the President warned that the country must avoid being left behind in the global knowledge economy.
He noted that emerging industries including AI, automation, and green technologies will define employment opportunities over the next decades.
“The question is whether Liberia will prepare its youth to lead or simply observe the transformation from afar,” he said.
The government, he added, is committed to strengthening TVET institutions nationwide to ensure graduates are competitive in both local and international labor markets.
Addressing students directly, President Boakai described them as the “custodians of BWI’s next century.”
He encouraged discipline, excellence, and innovation as guiding values.
“To the students, you are not just learners, you are the builders of Liberia’s future,” he said.
To faculty and administrators, he expressed gratitude for their continued service in shaping productive citizens, urging them to maintain commitment to excellence in technical education.
Founded in 1929, BWI has trained tens of thousands of Liberians in skilled trades, agriculture, engineering, and vocational sciences.
Alumni have contributed significantly to Liberia’s civil service, infrastructure development, and private sector growth.
As the institution approaches its 100th anniversary in 2029, government officials and education stakeholders are calling for expanded investment in:
Modern technical laboratories
Digital infrastructure
Curriculum modernization
Industry-academic partnerships
Youth entrepreneurship programs
President Boakai concluded his remarks by reaffirming the government’s commitment to education reform under the ARREST Agenda.
“Think Liberia. Love Liberia. Build Liberia,” he urged.
He congratulated the BWI Board of Directors, administration, faculty, staff, alumni, and students, describing the institution as “a national treasure and a foundation of Liberia’s future development.”
The celebration ended with renewed calls for innovation, partnership, and accelerated investment in technical education as Liberia moves toward its centenary milestone in 2029.
