28/02/2025
KRTTI Director Outlines Achievements, Challenges And Plans
--Vows To Lead With Integrity, And Fairness
By: Moses M. Tokpah
+231777130958/886476114
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The director of the Kakata Rural Teacher Training Institute (KRTTI), Sorna F. Sherif has outlined the achievements made by her in the space of six months following her appointment.
Director Sherif in her induction statement in Kakata on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, said since her preferment for the director position, her leadership has made several interventions at KRTTI.
Madam Sherif disclosed that she has made intervention in areas such as refurbishing of the director’s resident and office to include replacement of outdated household materials and equipment, interior repainting of the academic building and modernization such as replacing the traditional chalkboards with white marker boards, procurement of more than one hundred and twenty quality wooden arm-chairs for classroom and installation of 20 wall fans to appreciate a conducive and secure learning environment.
Other areas the director said she made intervention include the extension of the kitchen to house the bakery and provide space for cooks, procurement of over 150 single-bed mattresses to accommodate the growing number of trainees, exterior painting of the institute’s buildings with environmentally suitable green color, and the completion of the procurement of a set of uniforms each for security officers, a few electric batons, handcuffs, whistles.
Additionally, Director Sherif revealed that she was able to procure furniture like desks, chairs, 12 laptop computers, and a projector for senior and junior staff offices used deemed to enhance their work; embarked on the updating, equipping, and modernizing the library to soothe current day reality.
The KRTTI Director further stated that in the period under review, she procured necessary materials and equipment for the mini-clinical laboratory that is under construction along with the four bathrooms, commenced the intermediate level skill training for key administrative related departments including finance and accounts, procurement, warehouse, human resources, and facility, as well as the provision of a television set for recreation for the trainees amongst many others.
As for challenges, Director Sherif said there are numerous challenges at the institute some of which she said are overwhelming to handle especially the deplorable nature of the structures with key emphasis on the staff quarters and the lack of administrative vehicles.
She explained that some of the issues are so grave that ignoring them could mean that the teacher training program could just be mal-functional.
She listed some of the challenges as delayed in approving and releasing of funding to the vendors that assist accessibility of necessary goods and services, inconsistent electricity supply, and overstayed and faulty electrification, lack of pipe bone water and limited water source, lack of or inadequate vehicle (s) for institute’s operations and limited or inadequate fund for the overall renovations of the institute’s facility.
Other challenges she named are the lack of modern utensils for cafeteria and shortage in local ones, lack of equipment like tractor machine for field workers to keep the campus clean, safe and secure, the lack of relevant apparatus to make the science lab functional, the lack of updated books in the library and community illegal incursion on the institute’s fixed asset (land) as well as the lack of land deed to claim ownership as government stewards etc.
Speaking on the plans, the director said in order to elevate the KRTTI to the much-desired teacher training level, her administration will focus on sound fiscal management to be considered to align with government policies and regulations.
She continued that her administration will also focus strengthening the workforce by creating a vibrant and motivated workforce that is fully aligned with the institute’s mission, continuous professional development for trainers, working closely with the bureau of teacher education to review and revise the KRTTI curricula and program expansion that will see the elevation of KRTTI to a degree granting institution.
In addition to her plans, Director Sherif states that her administration will focus on leadership development that will enable heads of departments to receive regular training on how to lead their teams effectively and manage departmental affairs, infrastructure and facilities, partnership and collaboration; and digitizing instruction amongst others.
Director Sorna F. Sherif then vowed to lead the institution with integrity, fairness and a commitment to teamwork.
According to the KRTTI Director, she believes in the power of teamwork and collaboration thereby encouraging all staff of the institution to take pride in their work and abide by the civil service standing orders that govern them.
She told the KRTTI workers that together, they will elevate the institute and ensure that it continues to play a vital role in shaping the future of education in Liberia.
