By Vaye Abel Lepolu
Monrovia – The Ministry of Youth and Sports says it has made significant progress in strengthening youth empowerment, technical and vocational education, sports development, and institutional reforms during its first 100 days in office, following an assessment of conditions across Liberia.
Presenting the Ministry’s 100-day performance report, Deputy Minister for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Laraamand S. Nyonton said the administration began its work with a nationwide listening tour covering all 15 counties between March and April 2026. The tour, according to the Ministry, exposed long-standing challenges affecting young people, including understaffed youth centers, dormant vocational institutions, weak grassroots sports structures, and neglected government-owned equipment.
Deputy Minister for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Laraamand S. Nyonton said the findings from the county visits formed the basis for its reform agenda and guided every major intervention undertaken during the reporting period.
As part of efforts to strengthen the institution, he disclosed that more than 50 key positions were filled at its headquarters, vocational training centers, and county offices. It also established a fully functioning Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate with nationwide coverage, while expanding research, financial oversight, digital communications, and gender inclusion programs.
In what officials described as one of the Ministry’s most ambitious decentralization efforts in recent years, over 1,150 National Cadets have been recruited for deployment across Liberia’s 15 counties to support youth development initiatives.
The MOYS Deputy Minister also announced the launch of five flagship programs under the government’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Youth Empowerment. Central among these is the National Youth Pathway Program, backed by a US$4 million government investment to provide WASSCE support, scholarships, vocational education, literacy training, civic engagement, employment opportunities, and small grants for young people.
According to the report, partnerships with UNICEF, UNFPA, and the Luminos Fund have already engaged nearly 8,000 young people, while close to 50,000 more are expected to benefit before the end of the 2026 program cycle.
Additional initiatives include vocational and livelihood training for 2,866 adolescent girls and young women in six counties, literacy classes for 1,600 out-of-school youth, and reproductive health, peacebuilding, and drug prevention programs targeting more than 3,300 beneficiaries.
The Ministry estimates that more than 70,000 young Liberians will benefit from its youth development programs during the current implementation cycle.
In the area of technical and vocational education, the Ministry announced the relaunch of the Monrovia Vocational Training Center with new administrative leadership, 17 instructors teaching 10 disciplines, free learning materials, uniforms, and increased incentives for trainers.
Officials further disclosed that 1,200 vocational scholarships have been awarded, including 200 specifically reserved for commercial motorcyclists. The Ministry has also signed an US$800,000 agreement under the World Bank-funded RETRAP Project to support the rehabilitation of vocational institutions, including the reopening of the Tumutu Vocational Center and the refurbishment of the Julijuah Vocational Training Center, which has remained closed since 2017.
On sports, the Ministry highlighted its mediation efforts that resolved the Liberia Football Association’s electoral dispute, leading to the successful conduct of the association’s 18th Congress and the election of a new leadership.
The Ministry also pointed to improvements in Liberia’s international sporting performance, including the Women’s Under-20 football team’s runner-up finish at the WAFU Zone A Championship and medal-winning performances at continental competitions.
Infrastructure development remains another priority, with renovation ongoing at Momoh Taweh Stadium in Robertsport, construction beginning on Barclayville Stadium in Grand Kru County, and negotiations continuing with the Saudi Fund for Development for additional national sports infrastructure financing.
The Ministry further announced major reforms to the National County Sports Meet, describing this year’s competition as a national festival integrating sports, culture, tourism, and entertainment. Officials said the event will now be held between November and December to coincide with Liberia’s festive season and diaspora return.
New eligibility rules have also been introduced to ensure the competition serves as a platform for emerging grassroots talent by restricting participation to third-division players and athletes with limited previous appearances.
On the international front, the Ministry reported strengthening cooperation with France through discussions on sports development, while also engaging the Real Madrid Foundation on the possibility of establishing educational football and social sports programs in Liberia.
Despite the progress, the Ministry acknowledged several challenges, including deteriorating infrastructure, outdated financial management systems, inadequate digital connectivity, and low staff compensation.
Looking ahead, officials said the next phase of reforms will focus on governance, institutional modernization, sports development, the creative economy, youth empowerment, and strategic investment. The Ministry also plans to seek the repeal of PRC Decree No. 35 of 1982 to establish a new legal framework that reflects its expanded mandate.
The Ministry maintained that its objective is not simply to improve existing systems but to transform itself into a modern institution capable of delivering sustainable opportunities for Liberia’s young people.
