-To Oversee Selection of 650 Young Beneficiaries
By Jessica Cox
MONROVIA, The Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) Liberia Chapter has inducted members of a National Recruitment Committee tasked with ensuring a transparent, inclusive and merit-based selection process for young Liberians benefiting from the FAWE–Mastercard Foundation Phase II program.
The induction and training brought together representatives of the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Youth and Sports, National Commission on Higher Education, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, National Commission on Disabilities, Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC), universities and technical and vocational education institutions, civil society organizations, youth groups and community leaders.
The committee is expected to play a central role in reviewing applications and identifying eligible beneficiaries under the program’s effort to expand access to tertiary education, technical and vocational education and training (TVET), and other pathways for marginalized young women and men.
Speaking at the event, FAWE Liberia Executive Director Hon. Millias Z. Sheriff said the responsibility of the committee extends beyond simply reviewing applications because the decisions taken by its members could significantly affect the lives and future opportunities of young Liberians.
Sheriff urged committee members to ensure that every application is treated with dignity and assessed objectively against established eligibility criteria.
He cautioned members against favoritism, discrimination, political influence, personal connections and other considerations unrelated to the approved selection procedures.
“Our responsibility is not to select people we know. Our responsibility is to select eligible applicants who meet the established criteria,” Sheriff emphasized.
The FAWE Mastercard Foundation Phase II initiative, also known as the Second Chance Pathways for Increased Access to Tertiary Education for Marginalized Young Women and Men, focuses on young people from economically disadvantaged and marginalized communities, with particular attention to pathways into higher education, TVET and STEM.
FAWE Liberia’s current 2026 bursary calls indicate that the program targets young people aged 15 to 25 who have completed secondary education, with opportunities linked to selected universities and TVET institutions.
The initiative is being implemented across 10 counties in Liberia. FAWE Liberia recently reported that selection committees were being established in Grand Bassa, Margibi, Grand Cape Mount, Bong, Nimba, Lofa, Grand Gedeh, Sinoe, Maryland and Montserrado.
The Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission also welcomed the initiative, particularly its potential to provide opportunities for refugees, returnees, internally displaced persons and other vulnerable young people.
Representing the LRRRC, Executive Director Hon. Cole Bangalu said many refugee and returnee families in Liberia have children who completed or attempted to complete secondary education but were unable to continue to tertiary education because of financial constraints.
Bangalu referenced engagements with refugee communities, including visits to refugee settlements, where representatives highlighted the difficulties facing young people who lack the resources to continue their education.
He said the initiative offers an important opportunity to address some of those challenges and urged the recruitment committee to uphold transparency and integrity.
According to Bangalu, beneficiary selection must be based on established criteria, vulnerability and eligibility rather than political affiliation, personal connections or favoritism.
He stressed that the credibility of the initiative would depend not only on the number of young people reached, but also on how fairly and transparently beneficiaries are selected.
The Ministry of Education also expressed support for the program.
Assistant Minister for TVET, STEM and Special and Inclusive Education, Hon. Nathaniel Cisco, who represented the Ministry, commended FAWE Liberia and the Mastercard Foundation for expanding opportunities for marginalized young people.
Cisco said government scholarship interventions alone cannot meet the country’s education needs and stressed the importance of partnerships that help young Liberians access higher education and technical skills.
He argued that denying qualified young people educational opportunities could deprive Liberia of future doctors, scientists, skilled professionals and other contributors to national development.
The Ministry’s participation reflects the broader government interest in expanding pathways into tertiary education and TVET, particularly for young people who face financial and social barriers.
The training also featured discussions among committee members over the proposed distribution of beneficiaries and targeted groups.
Participants sought clarification on how the program’s percentage allocations would be calculated and distributed, particularly the provisions relating to women, refugees and persons with disabilities.
FAWE Liberia explained that the framework includes an 80 percent female target, while targeted provisions include refugees and males and a minimum 5 percent threshold for persons with disabilities.
Officials clarified that the 5 percent disability provision is intended as a minimum threshold rather than a ceiling, meaning qualified persons with disabilities may benefit beyond that minimum where they also satisfy other program requirements.
FAWE Liberia had previously confirmed that it is working to ensure that at least 5 percent of the program’s 650 beneficiaries are persons with disabilities, while the National Commission on Disabilities had raised concerns about whether the target was sufficient given the level of need. FAWE subsequently clarified that the 5 percent represents a minimum threshold and does not prevent additional qualified persons with disabilities from benefiting.
Committee members also called for clearer regional allocation guidelines and percentages to avoid ambiguity during the selection process.
The induction included an overview and distribution of the Terms of Reference (ToR) governing the National Recruitment Committee.
The ToR provide committee members with guidance on candidate assessment, their responsibilities, professional standards and timelines for completing the recruitment and selection exercise.
FAWE Liberia has described the committee structure as an important mechanism for ensuring that recruitment operates through existing community, institutional and governmental structures while maintaining equity, integrity and accountability.
The development of the recruitment structure comes as FAWE Liberia moves toward full implementation of the Mastercard Foundation Phase II program.
FAWE Africa recently reported that the Liberia bridging pathway is targeting 650 scholars in 2026, with an objective of achieving at least 95 percent completion and transition into STEM degree programs.
At the broader program level, FAWE Africa says the seven-year Phase II initiative runs from 2024 to 2030 and is designed to support marginalized young people across 10 African countries. In Liberia, the broader program is expected to reach 1,100 young people, including 600 TVET trainees and 500 bridging-program participants.
With the recruitment committee now inducted and its operational framework established, FAWE Liberia is expected to proceed with the beneficiary selection process, placing transparency, inclusion and adherence to approved criteria at the center of the exercise.
