The_Open_Door_deel1

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The very few books which indeed were written by Liberians were of
a propagandistic nature and served in most cases ostensibly
political purposes. This resulted too often in a distortion of
historical facts and/or obvious lies (42).
At the end of the 1940's the educational system was further
characterized by a lack of school buildings, lack of school
equipment (including books), and lack of qualified teachers. Also
in subsequent Annual Reports - during the 1950's - the Secretary
of Public Instruction repeatedly recognized the generally
deplorable conditions of Public School buildings, the absence of
equipment, and the urgent need to improve the level of
instructors (43). In the Hinterland only boys had access to the
educational facilities provided by the Government - girls being
officially excluded from modern instruction.
The interest in education which Government officials showed,
notably the Secretary of Public Instruction, and the lack of
funds - as well as the way in which the funds available were
spent - proved strong obstacles to a rapid improvement of the
situation. During the whole of the Fiscal Year 1948/49 the then
Secretary of Public Instruction, John W. Pearson, only made two
visits to public schools up country. These were visits to
Brewerville and Harper, both Americo-Liberian settlements.
However, the following year he flew to the U.S.A. where he spent
four months visiting Liberian students studying in that country
(44). In the same year, Fiscal Year 1949/50, the Government
appropriated $ 292,671.38 for Education. Available for Public
Schools and Subsidies was an amount of $ 57,912.00 whereas
$ 98,799.00 was appropriated for Scholarships.
Nearly all beneficiaries of Full Scholarships, however, were of
Americo-Liberian origin. The Annual Report of the Department of
Public Instruction for the period September 1947 - August 1948
shows a list of all Liberians who benefitted from a Full Scholarship
in 1948. At least 21 of the 23 beneficiaries mentioned in
this report were Americo-Liberians (45). These children of
wealthy and/or politically influential parents were, ten to fifteen
years later, to occupy the highest positions in the country.
One of the two tribal beneficiaries in the 1960's became the Director
of the Bureau of Natural Resources and Surveys before it
was elevated in 1971 to the status of a Ministry (Ministry of
Lands and Mines). But among the Americo-Liberian students, four
were to reach much more prestigious positions. They became
Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary
of Agriculture and Commerce and later Minister of Finance,
and President of the Public Utilities Authorities with authority
over what was to become in 1973 the Liberia Electricity Corporation,
the Liberia Broadcasting Gorproation, the Liberia Telecommunications
Corporation and the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation.