By Pewu Y. Sumo
KAKATA, MARGIBI COUNTY – In a landmark moment for Liberia’s educational sector, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai and World Bank Group Managing Director Paschal Donohoe officially commissioned the Kakata Model Senior Secondary School on Thursday, March 19, 2026.
The facility, funded through the Improving Results in Secondary Education (IRISE) Project, stands as a beacon of the government’s commitment to expanding access to quality learning beyond the primary level. The ceremony brought together government officials, international partners, and the local community to celebrate what Donohoe described as a “powerful statement of national ambition.”
During his keynote address, the visiting Managing Director Donohoe, who also serves as the World Bank’s Chief Knowledge Officer, emphasized that the new school is more than just a physical structure.
“Every new classroom represents hope,” Donohoe remarked. “By expanding access to senior secondary education, the Government of Liberia is opening doors to learning, to opportunity, and to lives lived with dignity and purpose.”
The IRISE project focuses on reducing the gap in secondary school completion, ensuring that students in regions like Margibi have the infrastructure necessary to transition from basic education to higher learning or the workforce.
While celebrating the new facility, the World Bank MD pivoted to the critical challenge of “learning poverty.” He noted that while getting children into classrooms is a necessary first step, the true measure of success lies in what they master while there.
Donohoe outlined the mastery of literacy and numeracy in early grades as the gateway to completing basic education, terming it as “fundamental skills.”
Foundational Skills: Mastery of literacy and numeracy in early grades is the “gateway” to completing basic education.
He furthered that a strong secondary education acts as a bridge to technical training, entrepreneurship, and productive employment.
Donohoe highlighted that the partnership between the World Bank and Liberia is deepening through the EXCEL project. Launched in December 2025, EXCEL is the World Bank’s largest-ever education investment in Liberia at $88.7 million. The project aims to reach every public primary school across all 15 counties to ensure every Liberian child can read, write, and count by the end of primary school.
For his part, Liberian leader, His Execellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai who was lauded by Donohoe for his “steadfast leadership,” has consistently positioned human capital development as a cornerstone of his administration’s agenda. The commissioning of the Kakata school serves as a tangible result of that policy, aimed at creating a better-educated generation capable of driving Liberia’s economic transformation.
Addressing the students directly, Donohoe concluded, “You are the reason we are here. Your success will shape Liberia’s future.”
The event concluded with a tour of the new facilities, which are expected to begin serving hundreds of students from the surrounding communities immediately, providing them with a modern environment to pursue their academic goals.
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