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Written by J. CYRUS MCGEE
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Thursday, 23 April 2009 17:58 |
The Institute for population Studies, formally Demographic Unit at the University of Liberia (UL) has graduated at least 46 students drawn from various Ministries and Agencies of government in the Country. The students were certificated Tuesday, following 12-Months of training in demographic and statistics programs at the University.
Delivering the keynote address at the closing program held in the Auditorium of the University of Liberia, Deputy Labor Minister for planning Mr. Jackson Wonde lauded the UL administration for the training of more Statisticians in government. He said the exercises would capacitate ministries and Agencies to correctly collect and process data from their areas of work, something which he said will give policies makers the opportunity to make policies in the supreme interest of the Liberian people.
Minister Wonde pointed out that the shortage of statisticians in the country had made government to have poorly started the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) process. He noted that there was a need to gather more statistics on grounds that the one used to start the PRS was based on the 1984 Census which made the start very poor. Minister Wonde however urged the graduates to see the training within the National Development context and make sure that the agenda of reform moves forward in the right direction.
UL President Dr. Emmett A. Dennis who also graced the occasion, described the institute for Statistics and Population Studies as one of the missing diamonds of the University, adding “ It should be picked out of the academic Community and put together to form a shinny brooch that the UL will always be respected for. Dr. Dennis however disclosed plans to elevate the department to a degree granting one instead of issuing Certificate to graduates.
For his part, the President of the graduating class Kumonateh Emmanuel Bayeh termed the department as very importance for national development because the entire nation can rely on its graduates for proper statistical works in the country. He however called on the government including both local and international Non-governmental organizations ( NGOs) to assist the department with research materials which, according to him ,will help to smooth the learning process there.
The Institute for Population Studies which was established in1973, serves as manpower training institution for Demographic research in the Country. The University set up the department with the aims and objectives of building the capacity of Liberians in the areas of demographic research for the socio-economic development and planning process.
The UL administration was assisted by the Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), among others.
Since its establishment in 1973, the institute has trained over 1000 students in middle level statistics and about 2000 students in Demographic minor program.
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Last Updated on Thursday, 23 April 2009 18:02 |
