Liberia
Senegalese-American musician Akon is campaigning for education and solar energy projects in Liberia.
The tour is part of his initiative to use solar energy to bring electricity to millions of households in Africa.
While interacting with parents and students he touched on the US election campaign and the quality of education in Africa.
“I wasn’t the best child in the world. I was probably one of the worst juvenile existing in America. If Donald Trump was the President at that time, he would have deported me. But unfortunately he couldn’t because I was a US citizen.”
“Everyone here can’t be shipped on to the U.S. or to Europe for education. The education in Africa, believe it or not, is ten times better. The only thing we need is proper facilities for our children to learn in and a comfortable environment for them to be able to teach”, he said.
Akon endorsed Liberia’s controversial plan to outsource oversight of its primary education system to a Kenya-based for-profit company.
The company, Bridge International Academies which teaches with the aid of tablets will be allowed to write curricula and train teachers.
Agencies
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Nigerians press for solar jobs and electricity, with little success