Monrovia — Greater than 900 college students graduated on Saturday as Gonet Academy held its thirteenth commencement ceremony in Sinkor, marking what the federal government described as a rising nationwide motion for workforce readiness, management growth, and youth empowerment.
The ceremony drew over a thousand attendees, together with graduates, mother and father, family, educators, and public officers. Liberia’s Minister of Training, Dr. Jarso Maley Jallah, served as visitor speaker and used the event to formally endorse Gonet Academy, on behalf of the Liberian Authorities, as a “catalyst for human capital transformation.”
Dr. Jallah praised the imaginative and prescient of Gonet Academy’s Founder and Chief Empowerment Officer, Mohammed Kerkula, noting that the establishment was conceived in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic at a time when hope was scarce and programs have been beneath pressure.
“What started as a imaginative and prescient throughout COVID has grown right into a nationwide motion,” the minister stated, describing the academy as a key contributor to getting ready moral, disciplined, and succesful professionals for Liberia’s evolving workforce.
She harassed that Liberia’s growth challenges demand management that’s intentionally ready, not improvised. In keeping with Dr. Jallah, nationwide progress shouldn’t be measured by enrollment figures alone, however by what studying produces—competence, judgment, productiveness, practical establishments, and public belief.
“Human capital is the clearest basis of long-term growth,” she informed the graduates, urging them to see commencement not as the tip of a journey, however the starting of a higher accountability to serve.
Dr. Jallah highlighted the various skilled backgrounds of the graduating cohort and famous that greater than 500 girls have been among the many graduates, describing their presence as a vital correction in Liberia’s management pipeline.
In her deal with, the schooling minister challenged the graduates to embrace lifelong studying, preserve focus, and uphold integrity, warning that data with out integrity is harmful and that shortcuts, when normalized, erode establishments.
She inspired graduates to steer via quiet, principled motion somewhat than titles or visibility, urging them to enhance programs from inside—by refusing corruption, mentoring others, and doing the proper factor even when nobody is watching.
Dr. Jallah additionally reaffirmed the Ministry of Training’s dedication to partnering with Gonet Academy to strengthen Liberia’s human capital, describing the graduating class as a part of a broader nationwide pipeline for management and institutional transformation.
“Right now is just not the tip,” she informed the graduates. “It begins right here. Go into these establishments, remodel them, and assist construct the Liberia all of us deserve.”
Gonet Academy has grown steadily since its institution, positioning itself as an expert coaching establishment targeted on management, entrepreneurship, and workforce growth at a time when Liberia faces growing calls for for expert and moral management throughout the private and non-private sectors.
‘5 Years of Impression’
Talking earlier on the occasion, As GonetAfrica’s founder and Chief Empowerment Officer, Mohammed Kerkulah, used the event to current a five-year progress report, highlighting what he described as measurable nationwide affect in human capital growth and management coaching.
Kerkulah stated GonetAfrica and its subsidiaries—Gonet Academy and the Africa Youth Management Academy (AYLA)—have been based in February 2021 on the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, a interval marked by uncertainty, widening abilities gaps, and restricted alternatives for younger individuals.
“With one laptop computer, a small rented area, and an enormous dream, we dedicated ourselves to empowering individuals, strengthening establishments, and contributing meaningfully to Liberia’s social and financial growth,” Kerkulah informed the viewers.
He famous that over the previous 5 years, Gonet has developed right into a nationally acknowledged middle of excellence for skilled growth, management formation, and institutional strengthening, working on six core values: excellence, integrity, innovation, accountability, teamwork, and transformation.
In keeping with Kerkulah, the establishment is absolutely registered, accredited, and compliant with nationwide regulatory our bodies, together with the Liberia Enterprise Registry, Liberia Income Authority, Ministry of Training, CEEACAL, the Agricultural and Industrial Coaching Bureau, and the Liberia Mental Property Workplace, with documentation submitted to the Nationwide Fee on Larger Training.
The CEO stated Gonet has invested closely in digital transformation, establishing on-line enrollment and cost platforms, blended and digital studying programs, laptop labs, free Wi-Fi, and digital learner instruments. He disclosed plans to quickly launch safe certificates verification programs, superior evaluation platforms, and AI-enabled institutional assist.
On the core of Gonet’s work, Kerkulah emphasised, is human capital growth. Over 5 years, he stated greater than 5,000 youths and professionals have been educated in market-relevant and management abilities, with over 4,000 graduates drawn from all 15 counties, the vast majority of them girls. Greater than 100 younger leaders have additionally been educated via AYLA.
Applications delivered by the establishment span management and administration, venture administration, procurement and provide chain, human sources, occupational well being and security, compliance and inner audit, digital literacy, ICT, finance, entrepreneurship, and communication, amongst others.
“Our numbers are vital, however what issues extra are the lives modified, careers strengthened, and confidence restored,” Kerkulah stated, citing monitoring and analysis knowledge displaying completion and satisfaction charges exceeding 90 p.c, alongside improved employability and profession mobility for graduates.
He described Cohort 13 as a milestone inside a milestone, including 913 graduates to Gonet Academy’s alumni community. Of the cohort, 80 p.c accomplished basis certificates packages, 14 p.c complete skilled packages, and 6 p.c skilled diploma packages. Girls accounted for 56.19 p.c of the graduates, reflecting what Kerkulah known as the establishment’s dedication to fairness and inclusion.
Looking forward to 2026–2031, the CEO outlined an bold agenda targeted on deepening high quality, increasing nationwide entry—together with to underserved populations and individuals with disabilities—strengthening business and authorities linkages, constructing strong alumni and profession programs, and creating the following technology of trainers and leaders.
He stated Gonet’s long-term imaginative and prescient is to construct an built-in ecosystem via GonetAfrica, Gonet Academy, and AYLA, making a pipeline from studying to management.
“This work issues as a result of Liberia’s future won’t be constructed by coverage alone,” Kerkulah stated. “It will likely be constructed by competent individuals, moral leaders, and problem-solvers who can translate data into motion.”
He concluded by difficult the graduates to make use of their abilities not solely to succeed personally, however to remodel establishments and uplift others, declaring that what started as a dream 5 years in the past has change into an establishment—and is now on the right track to change into a legacy.
