By Stephanie M. Duncan
A bill seeking to establish the Gbarzon Vocational and Technical Institute (GVTI) in Zleh City, Gbarzon Statutory District, Grand Gedeh County, has been passed by the House of Representatives and subsequently forwarded to the Liberian Senate for concurrence.
The decision was taken on Thursday during the House’s 20th Day Sitting of the Second Quarter of the Third Session of the 55th Legislature after lawmakers considered a Joint Committee Report from the Committees on Education and Public Administration, Ways, Means and Finance, and Judiciary.
The bill was introduced by Grand Gedeh County Electoral District #3 Representative Jacob Cheategba Debee II, who described the proposed institution as a strategic investment in human capital development and the socio-economic transformation of Grand Gedeh County and Liberia.
Presenting the measure to Plenary, Rep. Debee said the institute would provide young people in Gbarzon Statutory District and surrounding communities with greater access to quality technical and vocational education, noting that the absence of such opportunities has contributed to unemployment, underemployment, and limited economic growth in the area.
According to the proposed legislation, the institute will offer certificate and diploma programs in a range of technical and vocational fields, including carpentry, masonry, plumbing, mechanical engineering, electrical installation, welding, tailoring, agriculture, information technology, and other market-driven skills designed to prepare students for employment and entrepreneurship.
Lawmakers said the establishment of the institute is expected to promote youth empowerment through skills training, strengthen Liberia’s technical workforce, create employment opportunities, support the government’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, and reduce rural-to-urban migration by expanding educational opportunities in Grand Gedeh County.
Rep. Debee also informed the House that residents of Gbarzon Statutory District have pledged land and community support to facilitate the establishment and operation of the institution.
Following deliberations, the House adopted the Joint Committee’s recommendations and passed the bill. In keeping with the legislative process, the measure has been transmitted to the Liberian Senate for concurrence before it can be forwarded to the President for consideration.
If enacted, the legislation will establish the Gbarzon Vocational and Technical Institute as part of ongoing efforts to expand access to technical and vocational education and promote sustainable national development.
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