LIBERIA – A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the purpose for collaboration between the Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa (GPFA) located in Doemah’s Town, Margibi County and the Grand Kru Technical College (GKTC) located in Barclayville City, Grand Kru County was signed on Thursday 23 January, 2025 at the Foundation head office on the RIA Highway.
The Acting President of the College, Prof. Dr. Josephus Gbala-hinnig M. Gray and the Administrative Director of GboweePeaceFoundation, Mrs. Melvina O. Bright affixed their signatures to the document which formalized the existing collaboration between the two institutions.
Under the MoU, 68 female students attending at the Grand Kru Technical College this academic semester will benefit from scholarship under the GPFA “Children’s Fund, thus providing emergency educational assistance to students who are in need and are desirous of furthering their education.
The Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa, Children’s Fund support to the 68 female stufents at the College worths US$1,761,00. It is a one-time deal between GPFA and GKTC.
The emergency support covers costs for registration fees for the 68 female students attending the College. The Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa was founded in 2012 after Madam Gbowee won the Nobel Peace prize. Besides the funding, other areas of interests of academic excellence and peace initiatives that benefit both the academic community and the population of Grand Kru and Maryland Counties were highlighted and discussed.
During the event, the Acting President of GKTC, Prof. Dr. Gray who hails from Kayken, Barclayville on behalf of the Board of Trustees and the Administration of the College expressed its gratitude for the partnership and praised 2011 Nobel Peace Laureate, Madam Leymah R.Gbowee and the Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa (GPFA for the financial assistance to underwrite the costs of registration fees for the 68 female students at GKTC.
Professor Gray emphasized the importance of the newly established collaboration and partnership and committed GKTC readiness to embark on collaboration. According to Dr. Gray, the scholarships will ease financial burdens for the female students who usual face financial difficulty to pay their registration fees, and added that the economic constraints in the country also served as a formidable barrier for female students across Liberia, not just Grand Kru County.
Speaking further, Dr. Gray who is also the Dean of the Amos C. Sawyer College of Social Sciences and Humanities at the University of Liberia disclosed that the scholarships will play a pivotal role in offering economic relief, providing the female students with the means to pursue their educational goals without being weighed down by financial constraints.
Also speaking at the signing ceremony, Mr. David Sheik Konneh, Program Manager, commits to extending it Peace Through Fairplay Annual Youth Camp and BookBag Drive to Grand Kru and Mayland counties in July.
He stressed the importance of accountability, transparency and academic excellence in the awarding of the scholarships to the 68 female students. According to Mr. Konneh, the memorandum will enable both GPFA and GKTC to collaborate in several key areas. The Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa was founded in 2012 by Nobel Peace Laureate, Madame Leymah R.Gbowee, to provide outstanding education and leadership opportunities to women and youth. GPFA has three program areas: Education for Peace and Development (EPAD), Transformative, Leadership Initiatives (TLI) and driving Innovation through Community Empowerment (DICE) Under its EPAD program ,
Our Children’s Fund(OCF)is a project that started in 2013 when Laureate realised that not all students could receive full scholarships but might need emergency education assistance in the form of partial /emergency education assistance to foster their education.
Since 2012, GPFA has provided 1274 full-time high school, undergraduate, and graduate scholarships to students in Africa, North America, Europe, and Asia under its Africa Youth Education Initiatives (AYEI) and 1789 emergency education assistance to students under OCF.
Mr. David Sheik Konneh, further commits to extending it Peace Through Fairplay Annual Youth Camp and BookBag Drive to Grand Kru and Mayland counties in July.
Meanwhile, the College offers Two-Year Associate of Science and Associate of Arts degree in Seven (7) Major disciplines. Undergraduate majors (conferring AA, ASc, BSc, BA, degrees). Agriculture, Education, Engineering and Computer Technology, Health Sciences, Nature Sciences, Business and Communication and Media Studies, respectively. The requirements for each of these academic programs are listed according to the school to which they belong. Students are bound by the major requirements of their governing academic catalog.
Changes made to program requirements for individual students by advisors are subject to the approval of program Department chairs, the Academic dean, and the Registrar.
The College offers Two-Year Associate of Science and Associate of Arts degree in Seven (7) Major disciplines in its undergraduate major programs, and would soon be elevated to confer can to Bachelor degree in various academic majors. The College offers four semesters’ intensive academic programs while students are compared to successfully complete 70-76 credit hours to be eligible for graduation.
The Grand Kru Technical College (GKTC) is a public, government chartered institution of higher learning in the Republic of Liberia. The College is situated in the southeastern coastline. The County is known for its picturesque beaches, natural resources, and cultural heritage, making it an ideal destination for sun-seekers and ocean lovers. Grand Kru is 446 kilometers from Monrovia, the Capital of the Republic of Liberia. It is among 76 universities and colleges accredited the National Commission on Higher Education” to legally operate an Associate Degree Programs in the Republic of Liberia, and can be elevated to Bachelor degree in the future. The College is governed by a Board of Trustees appointed by the President of Liberia to set policy directions and guide the College’s management team headed by a president.
The College (GKTC) was established in by an Act of the National Legislature on 14th March 2019 and on 18th January 2022 a Board of Trustees was appointed by the Former President of Liberia, His Excellency Dr. George Manneh Weah, to set policy directions and guide the College’s administration. The Technical College is the only Technical College in the Southeastern Liberia and second in the Republic of Liberia.
It has the potential to be one of the global Reputable higher learning institutions in Liberia. Since the Board was appointed, it has been working assiduously and has taken several measures to ensure that the Grand Kru Technical College fulfill its core values, missions and objectives to the Liberian society, particularly Grand Kru County. GKTC instructional staffs made up of a vibrant faculty who are well qualified, trained, experienced and well prepared for full academic activities.
It promote distinctive approaches to engaged learning that emphasize theory and practice in our academic and co-curricular programs. GKTC seeks to achieve excellent levels of distinction in teaching, learning and engaged into research.
The College has a very great prospects to be one of the best Colleges in the Republic of Liberia and beyond Liberia’s borders; it’s growing, uplifting and presents opportunity for the people of Grand Kru County and Southeastern Liberia. It’s also full environment with smart students and dedicated faculty and diligent administrators. The best thing about GKTC is attractive to students and every day a new learning takes place where students get to explore new areas of knowledge and activities as frequent activities like lecture-demonstration workshops, panel discussions and one-on-one with guests and administrators. Above all, GKTC commitment to excellence and unwavering support is making lasting impact on students ‘lives and future career.
Beyond that, the College is cherished by the community and students and leaving a cherish memories and lessons in the areas of boost earning potential, increase chances of future employment, expand students future opportunities for the job market, preparing students for the future and build new relationships, among others.
The Administration of the Grand Kru Technical College under the supervision of a Liberian scholar, professor, author and diplomat, Prof. Dr. Josephus Gbala-hinnig Moses Gray, a son from Kayken, Barclayville City, has developed a short, medium and long term comprehensive strategic plans providing a roadmap for the growth and development of the College. Prof. Gray serves as Acting President, a Pro-bono role, pending the hiring of a full president at time from now since the vetting of candidates is now concluded with Six (6) candidates listed and presented to the Board of trustees; the acting president is not a candidate for the post.
The current leadership of the college has developed three workable plans: The short plan was to ensure that the College doors are opened, established three distinguished Working Committees (Search, Curriculum and Planning) which set the GKTC into motion and the establishment of academic programs, renovation of the college’s facilities including the renegotiation with the tribal people of Kayken for the college’s land and a detailed Architectural work and designs of GKTC future campus. As part of the strategic plan, the College is recruiting a full-time. The architectural and designs works have been completed and presented to its Board of Trustees; Grand Kru County Legislative Caucus; Honorable Minister of Finance Development Planning, Senate Chairman on Ways, Means and Finance and the County Superintendent, respectively. The blueprint of the Architectural work and designs present the entire cost to construct the full campus from the foundation to completion and hope to start work on the infrastructure development in 2025.
The immediate plan also considered the hiring of qualified and competent faculty members, regular training, placing them on Government of Liberia monthly payroll. The short term also lead to the establishment of the College’s Monrovia office, student support services, community engagement, key offices such as Admission and Records, Dean for Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Chairpersons, office of Schedule and Monitoring, Library and Faculty Lounge, Facility and Maintenance Office and GKTC President’s residence in Barclayville City.
While the medium plan include: Faculty and staff career development such as sending two faculty members to India for Master’s studies and two others are likely to depart in 2025 to India for Master’s studies while modalities have been put into place to send additional faculty to Accra for Master’s studies while other overseas opportunities are being sought for faculty development and support for GKTC development to enable the College fulfill its mission, achieve its vision, and contribute to the sustainable development of Grand Kru County, the Southeastern Region and Liberia as a whole. This plan considers the clearing of the bushes from the land donated by the tribal people and hope to start work on the infrastructure development in 2025.
It has halt the recruitment of Bachelor’s degree holders as faculty instead, only Master’s and Doctorate degrees holders are to be recruited as faculty members. The regular reviews and revision of Academic Curricula, provision of oversea fellowships, establishment of partnership and collaboration with sisterly College overseas and the construction of the College future campus are all incorporated into the strategic medium and long term plans.
For the long term plan, all effort and work have been instituted to ensure that in two-three year-time, GKTA will be elevated to Bachelor level. Furthermore, the plan also considered for Deans for key academic posts and that in the next year to two, only Master’s degree holders will occupy the following positions: Dean for Admissions, Records and Registrar, Dean for Student Affairs, Comptroller, Director of Human Resources, Director of Procurement and Chairs of Academic Departments, among other positions. At the end of 2025-2026 academic School Year, the College should be relocated on its own campus and the ratio of Bachelor-Master’s degree holders should be at least 60%-40%.
The image of the College has been rebranded and serves as a flagship College in Southeastern Liberia. The College believes that in the educational sector, intellectual capital is manifested by excellent academic results, which are in turn a product of the work done by the teaching and learning professionals. The College seeks to achieve excellent levels of distinction in teaching, learning and research by transmitting knowledge and understanding that are needed to transform the Liberian society, and in the service of the world.
The National Commission on Higher Education has granted the College Full Accreditation” to legally operate an Associate Degree Programs in the Republic of Liberia, and can be elevated to Bachelor degree in the future. But the focus for now is two-year degree granting program.
