PSPP GRADUATES
ACHIVEMENTS OF Fomba Tarnue, Esq., MCIPS, MPSM, MSC
Principal & EO
Booker Washington Institute
Kakata, Margibi County – Republic of Liberia
FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF HIS ACHIEVEMENTS AT BWI.
Summary of Principal Tarnue’s Achievements at BWI-January 2016 – December 2018)
Administration & Management
Upon taking over as Principal in January 2016, there was no Operational or Policy Manual to guide the management and administration of the Institute, therefore Mr. Tarnue’s first action was to successfully lead the development of the following instruments:
He guided the drafting, revision and validation of the first Operational and Policy Manual consisting Human Resource, Finance, Procurement, Facilities Management, etc.
- He initiated and led the crafting, validation and implementation of BWI’s First Five Year Strategic & Sustainability plan 2017 – 2022 ( The Principal Presented a copy to the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Hon. Minister Nathaniel F. McGill in early 2018)
- He initiated and drafted the 2017-2018 BWI Prospectus/Brochure
- He constituted a specially committee that revised the Student Handbook with greater participation of students’ representation for the first time.
Budget and Financing of Operations
- Funding of BWI’s operation remains largely GoL responsibility. However, due to limited national resources there has been an annual decline in actual allotments given the school. For example, an actual allotment in FY 2016/2017 was 2.8 million but dropped to 2.1 million FY 2017/2018. This is expected to decline even further at the end of FY 2018/2019.
- In spite of this decline, he and his administration continue to increase efforts and initiatives to improve and sustain operations of the Institute by making use of agricultural production and other professional consultancy and technical advisory services to the private sector.
- Additionally, his administration has heavily engaged the development partners of BWI and attracted technical support to the school due to his public engagement strategy of opened and entrepreneurial leadership style.
Students’ Enrollment and Performance
- BWI’s student enrollment in academic 2016 was around a total of 1,200 with all students as boarders based on policy that only boarding students could attend BWI. Tarnue changed this policy and opened access to both boarding and day or commuting students whose parents could not afford boarding school fees; a real pro-poor solution for TVET education at BWI.
- Thus, today student enrollment has grown to almost 2,000 students in the regular high school, post-secondary and professional as well as the new short-term courses like heavy equipment operator training and rubber wood carpentry training.
- BWI students are now wining national competition, e.g. the National Housing construction design competition for TVET schools in 2017 in which BWI won first place among five TVET schools; National Housing Authority and Habit Humanity launched the project as part of new program to address housing for slum dwellers.
- BWI’s internship program was resuscitated under his administration as it was shut down due to EBOLA. All of our junior students continue to benefit from job training as he efficiently expanded BWI’s partnership with employers and private sector actors.
Staff Development
In continuation and in collaboration with BWI’s foremost development implementing partners UNIDO and others, the Principal was able to transform our human resource faced by many aging and retired staff; especially technical instructors and others as follow below:
- This administration sent two young staff to Abu Dhabi, Middle East to the World Skill Day events to expose them to and participate in contemporary skill development;
- Also, two junior staff undertook intensive benchmarking and study tour in South Africa with KOMATSU and the Northern Technical College of Zambia where they had mentorship in operation and management of Automotive and Heavy Equipment;
- Fifteen instructors underwent Online international Professional Certification program in hydraulics and heavy equipment with support by UNIDO;
- From internal funding 15 administrative staff received local capacity building in management and leadership courses to include Procurement, Financial Management, Human Resources Management and Project Management;
- From bilateral support of China five technical instructional staff underwent capacity building in China in Building Construction, and Machinery and Tools Maintenance and Servicing; and
- Five staff received training in South Africa with KOMATSU with support of UNIDO our partnership.
Infrastructure Improvement
- In 2016 he successfully negotiated the transfer of the former UNMIL field office compound and rehabilitated and converted it as campus annex. For the Post-Secondary and Professional Programs constituting the Accelerated Vocational Training Program and National Diploma in Agriculture as well as other Professional Training Programs.
- Campus Fencing Project – His administration encouraged two graduating classes, 2016/2017 & 2017/2018 and solicited donation from NASSCORP to undertake successful construction of nearly 2,000 feet concrete fence from the Du-River to the main gate costing about US$73,000.00.
- Water and Sanitation – In 2016 his administration commenced rehabilitation of the BWI water facilities by procuring new submersible pumps and putting in two bole hole wells while in 2017 we put in three additional bole hole wells with support of Living Water International. His administration also received donation of two large hand washing stations from the Montan Foundation. Access to water increased in 2019 with purchase and installation of a 12.5 HP submersible pump.
- Trade shop Renovation and Construction – His administration successfully completed renovation, expansion and equipping with basic equipment and tools four major trade shops, namely: Business Education, Electronics, Electricity and Automotive. With cost-saving from renovation works, BWI was able to construct a new annex for the Domestic Science Department. In 2018 with support of GIZ, his administration renovated the Masonry shop and two staff housing units.
- Three Science Laboratories – for the first time at BWI, this administration completed setting up of Biology, Chemistry and Physics Labs. With lab equipment and accompanying available consumables for students’ demonstrations.
- School Clinic Lab. – In September 2018 for the first time at BWI’s history, his administration successfully set up a modern medical lab in the school clinic where our students are now treated based on scientific lab diagnostic results and not just first aid and rapid diagnostic test. Clinical supplies have also been supplied by the National Drug Service, partners like Chicago Global Health Alliance among others.
- Dormitory Facilities-Between 2017 and 2019 his administration replaced wooded bump beds in students’ dormitories with metal steel bump beds and replaced three-inch sponge mattresses with six and eight-inch premier mattresses with support of Lebanese community led by Mr. Ezzat Eid.
- Staff Housing- His administration completed renovation of seven (7) staff housing units which were abandoned since war time and are left with five units to complete renovation.
Introduction of New Courses
- With additional support from the Government of Japan with UNIDO as implementing partner his administration launched a new skill training program in Rubber Wood Furniture Production in 2017, training 31 owners of carpentry shops from 15 communities in Monsterrado and Margibi Counties. The program has up to date trained 146 young men and women in Rubber Wood Furniture Production and Entrepreneurship.
- His administration has expanded our curriculum contents in the Electrical Department whereby our students are now being taught new skills in Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC). Also, curricula in Plumbing, Poultry and Hospitality/Catering Service have been developed with support of the African Development Bank funded YEEP project through the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
- With funding from the EU and Mercy Crops as implementing partner, his administration is also now training students in Solar Energy Technology.
Donation
In 2017, through his instrumentality, BWI received a donation of 75 quality mattresses costing more than US$5,000.00 procured by the World Lebanese Culture Union through its President, Dr. Ezzat Eid, who was then Vice Chairman of the Board of Governors of BWI. The gesture was a timely intervention in his administration’s efforts to improve dormitory facilities for our students, especially boys whose enrollment is out stretching our capacity.
Biomedical Technician Program
His administration launched the BWI biomedical Technician Program, thus training a small team of young BWI graduates. This team led by our German TVET and Biomedical Technology expert, has carried out repairs of medical equipment at the Barcolleh Health Center in Kakata, The Medlink Clinic on Randall Street, Monrovia and now in discussion with other health facilities across Liberia to provide repair services of their medical equipment. These services are forerunners to setting up a biomedical Training Center at BWI in collaboration with the BWIAANA, as well as our national and international development partners.
BWI workers’ Union
In 2016 his administration resolved the leadership crisis between two factions of BWI workers. In 2017, we witnessed the second democratic election and smooth transfer of power within the new unified BWI Workers’ Union.
- In fact, in 2016 his administration admitted the workers union into the BWI Administrative Council, the second highest decision-making body of the Institute. Also, in 2017, his administration supported the union in setting up operations and management of the BWI Canteen to help the union fund some of its programs and improve the welfare of its members.
Salary Increment and Benefits
1) With full support of the Board of Governors in 2017, BWI became complaint with the Decent Work Act. His administration raised employees’ salaries from minimum of LRD 6,000 to LRD 12,000 to comply with the law and at the same time gave 10% raise to those already at higher levels.
2) Additionally, since he took office in 2016, BWI staff continues to enjoy gifts and benefits of food items twice a year during July 26, Independence and Christmas seasons.
Resolution of Retirees Crisis
With approval and authorization of the Board of Governors in 2017, his administration was able to pay off all retirees, numbering 15, a total 14 million Liberian Dollars as genuine claims against our predecessor’s administration for illegally retiring them.
- The settlement of this stand-off has created a more cordial and peaceful work environment. The ability to resolve crises is a great leadership ability.
2017 BWI alumni Association Convention in Dallas, Texas, USA
- As a result of his participation in the 2017 Convention of the BWINAANA in Dallas Texas, the USA, significant efforts are underway to help with the development at BWI. The Convention approved USD$30,000.00 for two specific projects, namely: the Biomedical Technician Training Program and The Food Hub project. Portion of this money has already been remitted to a firm in Washington D.C. to undertake the construction of an irrigation system using Solar Energy Technology on the BWI vegetable farm of 14 acres.
- Additionally, work is progressing on support from the Prairie View A&M University in Houston, Texas and Hampton University in Virginia to provide scholarship for young graduates of BWI to study at those institutions to return home to strengthen the faculty in the vocational and technical departments.
Partnership & Visibility
- In 2016 and 2017 his administration made strong and aggressive moves in creating networks and engaging international development partners for technical corporation and assistance for BWI in implementing our vision for establishing a model center of excellence.
- The administration’s linkages and networks include the EU, UNDP, UNIDO, UNICEF and other UN agencies, USAID, GiZ, Mercy Corps, MCC/MCA, the U.S. Embassy, Sweden, Janpan, JICA and China.
- BWI actively participated in the development of the EU TVET support fund now dubbed “Rising Youth Project” of the Ministries of Education and Youth & Supports.
Community Services
His administration undertook outreach series within Kakata City environs. This included support to Margibi County sports Teams competing in the county meets, constructing drainage facility at the County Administration building in Kakata, construction of solid and none medical waste disposal facility at the C. H. Rennie hospital, renovation of Kakata Central prison facilities, and donation of vegetables and food items to orphanages in and around Kakata City.
Target Activities to mitigate Challenges facing BWI:
While challenges are numerous as he endeavors to establish a model center of excellence at BWI, especially with finances from the national budget on the decline, he is however, determined to search for means to mitigate these challenges by:
- Increasing enterprising activities focusing on agriculture production, especially working with the BWIAANA on the Food Hub Project to provide irrigation system driven by solar energy technology.
- Expanding our rubber farm and farming in small ruminants (goats, rabbits, etc.); poultry farming; and continuous search for funding for our oil palm and cocoa farm projects.
- Renovation of existing staff housing units on campus
- Renovation and provision of basic equipment and tools for remaining trade shops: General Building Trades and Machinery.
- Continuous improvement of electricity supply and water facilities
- Continuous improvement in students’ services i.e. dormitory facilities, student’s recreation, etc.
Going Forward
His administration continues to be guided by the Strategic Sustainability Plan he released in December 2017 with the following five priorities areas:
- Investing staff development and capacity building;
- Investing in internal revenue generation activities;
- Strengthening existing infrastructures and searching for support to construct new facilities;
- Working to enhance quality student recruitment, development and retention programs; and
- Working to elevate the Institute to a technical college/university status with high quality market focused programs within five years.
Please keep checking and reading more developments to come.