Ellen Johnson Sirleaf speaking at Early Childhood Conference

The first early childhood development conference held in Liberia featured Friends of Liberia presenting trained Liberian early childhood educators modeling appropriate methodology and lessons.

The Eighth OMEP Africa Regional Conference and the First Liberian National Early Childhood Development Conference April 11-13 was held at The SKD Sports Complex in Monrovia. The t

heme of the conference was “Early Childhood Development in the 21st Century: Children’s Rights to Live, Play, Explore and Understand the World.”

I went to Monrovia to present a paper and sharing the methodology that FOL trainers have been teaching to Liberian early childhood

educators since 1999. I invited six of the educators that we have trained to

participate in this conference. Two of the teachers joined me as presenters and helped me demonstrate our developmentally appropriate methodology. It was very rewarding

to have a large international audience hear about FOL’s work and it went so well that we were asked to repeat our workshop the next day. There were many positive comments and interested people asking us more about what we have been teaching teachers in rural Liberia. You can read more about ECE on the website under LEAP.

Liberia was the first country to host the African Region Conference and simultaneously host their first early childhood conference, including a full-day Higher Education Early Childhood Symposium. This is significant for Liberia, which has yet to incorporate early childhood education into its colleges or teacher training institutes. Approximately 500 persons from around the world attended the combined OMEP and Liberia conference.

The Government of the Republic of Liberia demonstrated its commitment to early childhood development with the participation of President of Liberia Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.  She was the first country president ever to speak at any of the Eight African Region Conferences of the international early childhood development organization.