23/07/2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
President Boakai Launches “Excellence in Learning in Liberia” (EXCEL) Project – A $88.7 Million Investment to Transform Foundational Education Nationwide
July 23, 2025
Executive Mansion, Monrovia – President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., President of the Republic of Liberia, today officially launched the Excellence in Learning in Liberia (EXCEL) Project, a transformative national initiative aimed at improving foundational literacy and numeracy across all public early childhood and primary schools in Liberia.
The project, led by the Ministry of Education, is financed through a $60 million concessional credit from the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank and a $28.7 million grant from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE)—totaling $88.7 million in support of improving learning outcomes and building a stronger education system.
“This is not just a project; it is a declaration of our commitment to the children of Liberia,” said President Boakai. “The EXCEL Project is a key pillar in our ARREST Agenda and a direct response to the need for equitable, high-quality education for every Liberian child—especially in our public schools.” He added.
The EXCEL Project will be implemented in all 15 counties and directly support 2,337 public early childhood and primary schools, with an estimated 362,000 students, teachers, and education staff expected to benefit from project interventions.
Key highlights include:
• 350,000 students in the final year of early childhood education and Grades 1–6 will receive improved teaching and learning materials in literacy and numeracy.
• 12,000 teachers and school principals will receive training in foundational learning, teacher mentoring, instructional leadership, school management, and use of education data.
• Approximately 14,000 school management committee (SMC) members, along with Ministry of Education staff at the county and central levels, will benefit from capacity-building support.
• About 48% of all direct project beneficiaries are expected to be female, aligning with national goals to promote gender equity in education.
Madam Georgia Wallen, World Bank Country Manager for Liberia, praised the EXCEL Project as “historic in ambition, scale, and urgency.”
“EXCEL is the largest education investment the World Bank has ever made in Liberia,” Madam Wallen said. “It reaches every public early childhood and primary school and lays the foundation for real transformation in literacy, numeracy, inclusion, and school leadership.” She added.
She noted the project’s alignment with Liberia’s Vision 2030 and the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development and the World Bank’s new Country Partnership Framework, which prioritizes human capital development.
“Liberia’s children deserve more and better,” she added. “EXCEL is a downpayment on the kind of transformation that will unlock opportunity and restore dignity. We applaud the Government of Liberia and thank Dr. Jarso Marley Jallah for her strong leadership at the Ministry of Education.”
Speaking at the launch, Dr. Jarso Marley Jallah, Liberia’s Minister of Education, described the EXCEL Project as “a game-changing intervention for public education.”
“EXCEL allows us to tackle Liberia’s learning crisis at its root by investing in classrooms, teachers, and communities,” said Minister Jallah. “It will strengthen the foundation on which the rest of the education system stands—early childhood and primary education.” She noted.
She emphasized the project’s focus on practical solutions, including training, materials, and support for school leadership and communities.
“Our goal is to deliver real results, real skills, and real confidence to our students and educators,” she added. “We are proud to lead this important effort and are deeply grateful to our partners—the World Bank and GPE—for their continued faith in Liberia’s potential.”
To unlock the full financing, the Government of Liberia urges the National Legislature to ratify the $60 million IDA credit. Upon ratification, the EXCEL Project will begin immediate rollout to public schools across the country.
“This is a national effort that touches every county, every classroom, and every child,” President Boakai concluded. “Let us act with urgency to secure this investment for the future of our nation. He said.
Honorable Augustine K. Ngafuan, Minister of Finance and Development Planning signed on behalf of the Liberian government and Madam Georgia Wallen, Country Manager signed for the World Bank.
Samson Kpiah
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