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WyattShely

Mr.Arnold
LBST2102H75
16March2016
Microtheme3
EllenJohnsonSirleafsmemoir,ThisChildWillBeGreat,issaturatedwiththethemeof
education.Whetheritbethepathwaytosuccess,thestaircaseoutofpoverty,orthebranchof
opportunity,educationisakeycomponent.ThroughoutthedevelopmentofSirleafsmemoir,it
isclearthatshehighlyvalueseducationandthepositiveeffects.Whetheritisreflectedina
globalizedlight,hasitspositiveandnegativecharacteristicsrevealed,oraddressedinSirleafs
InauguralSpeech,theconceptofeducationunveilsitscomplexnaturethroughoutThisChild
WillBeGreat.
Earlyoninthememoir,SirleafmadeitknownthatinLiberia,educationwasaprivilege.
Thefamilieswithwealthandpoliticalpowerweregrantedtherightofaqualityeducation.The
poor,generationaftergeneration,weredeprivedofthisvaluableprivilege,resultinginalackof
educationforalargemajorityoftheLiberianpopulation.Fortunately,Sirleafsfatherheld
politicalpowerduringherhighschoolyears.ThisallowedhertoattendtheCollegeofWest
Africa,aschoolthatonlytheprivilegedandwellconnectedcouldattend(27).Although
Sirleafrecognizedthisschoolasanexcellentsourceofeducation,shealsowasconsciously
awarethatitwasanelitistone(58).LaterinSirleafslife,shewasblessedwiththeopportunity
toadvancehereducationatHarvardUniversityintheUnitedStatestostudypublic
administrationandeconomics.BeforeattendingHarvard,shehadtocompleteundergraduate

courseworkattheEconomicsInstituteinBoulder,Colorado(56).Clearly,thepursuitof
educationinSirleafslifeactedasavehicleforglobalization.
Brieflymentionedearlier,educationisasourceofopportunity.Countlesstimesduring
thememoir,Sirleafalludestothisfact.Inthebeginningofthebook,Sirleafmentionshowher
fathersupbringingasawardforamoreprivilegedfamilyallowedhimtoreceiveasolid
primaryeducation...Withthateducation,theworldopenedtohim(10).Lateron,Sirleaf
explainshowherhardworkinganduneducatedgrandmothersbelievedineducation(22).Her
grandmothershighvalueofeducationmotivatedhertohelpprovidethisprecioustoolfor
opportunitylaterinherpoliticalcareer.DuringthefirsthundreddaysofSirleafstermas
PresidentofLiberia,shewasmetagainwiththenotionofeducation.Whensheaskedchildren
whattheywantedmostinlife,resoundinglytheysaidIwanttolearn...Iwantaneducation
(277).AllgenerationsofLiberia,eventhechildren,knewwithoutashadowofadoubtthat
educationwouldbethemainsourceoftheirrescuefrompovertyandwar.
BeingafemalethatgrewupinLiberia,Sirleafexperiencedfirsthandwhatitwasliketo
liveinamaledominatedsociety.Throughoutherlife,shenoticedtheinequalityfemales
endured,beginningwithprimaryeducation.Thisiswhatledhertoaddressthisissueinher
InauguralSpeechwhenshebecamePresidentofLiberia.Shenotedhowshesharedacommon
passionandcommitmenttogenderequityandtheeducationofthegirlchild(320).Sirleaf
knewthattheonlywaytotrulyprogresstowardgenderequalityandequalopportunity
throughoutLiberia,allLiberians,includinggirls,mustreceiveaneducation.Afterall,oneof
thosegirlsmightbecomePresidentofLiberiaoneday.

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