Gonet Academy Marks Five Years of Impact, Graduates 913 Learners

-—Education Minister Calls for Ethical, Prepared Leadership as Founder Hails “Vision in Action”

Gonet Academy on Saturday, February 7, marked a significant milestone in its institutional journey, celebrating five years of impact in professional development while graduating 913 students under its 13th cohort—one of the largest in the Academy’s history.

The ceremony, held amid reflections on skills development, leadership, and national service, underscored the growing role of non-traditional learning institutions in strengthening Liberia’s human capital at a time when the country is grappling with skills gaps across both the public and private sectors.

Founded in February 2021, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, GonetAfrica established Gonet Academy as its professional development arm with a clear mission: to equip Liberians with practical, values-driven skills that translate into workplace competence and ethical leadership.

Speaking at the graduation, Founder and Chief Empowerment Officer of GonetAfrica, Mr. Mohammed Kerkulah, described the event as more than a ceremonial rite of passage.

“Today is more than a graduation ceremony,” Kerkulah said. “It is a celebration of five years of vision turned into impact and a powerful affirmation of what is possible when commitment meets purpose.”

Of the 913 graduates, 513 were women—representing 56.19 percent—while 400 were men, a gender distribution Kerkulah said reflects the Academy’s deliberate commitment to inclusion, equity, and women’s leadership.

Cohort 13 graduates completed programs across three tracks: 731 from the Foundation Certificate Programs (FCP), 131 from the Comprehensive Professional Programs (CPP), and 51 from the Professional Diploma Programs (PDP), each designed to respond to varying levels of professional growth and specialization.

“These numbers represent more than completion,” Kerkulah emphasized. “They represent late nights, personal sacrifices, growth beyond comfort zones, and the courage to choose progress.”

Over its five-year existence, Gonet Academy has evolved from a modest, vision-driven initiative into a national platform for continuous professional development. According to the Founder, alumni of the Academy are already serving as trainers, mentors, entrepreneurs, and change agents across government institutions, private organizations, and community initiatives.

“To the graduates of Cohort 13, you are part of our legacy and our future,” Kerkulah said. “Carry discipline, excellence, integrity, and service into every space you enter.”

Delivering the keynote address, Minister of Education Dr. Jarso Marley Jallah challenged the graduates to see the occasion not as an end, but as the beginning of deeper responsibility to society.

“Many would describe today as the end of a journey, but I see it differently,” Dr. Jallah said. “Today is the point at which your responsibility begins to take shape.”

She praised Gonet Academy’s leadership for launching a professional development movement during a period of global uncertainty, noting that its foundation was anchored in resilience, faith, and service. Citing leadership expert John Maxwell, the Minister said institutions that endure are those built on values rather than convenience.

“Even when the world was on its knees, this movement stood firm on its pillars of vision and faith,” she said, adding that the Government of Liberia formally recognizes Gonet Academy’s contribution to national development.

Dr. Jallah stressed that Liberia’s development must be measured not by enrollment figures alone, but by what learning produces.

“Human capital is the clearest foundation of long-term development,” she stated. “It is built when people can think critically, solve problems, manage complexity, and act with integrity under pressure.”

She urged graduates to redefine leadership as service rather than status, warning that societies weaken when shortcuts and ethical compromises become normalized.

“Trust takes years to build but only seconds to destroy,” the Minister cautioned, encouraging graduates to reject corruption, mentor others, and quietly improve systems wherever they serve.

Highlighting the majority female representation in the graduating class, Dr. Jallah described it as a necessary correction in Liberia’s leadership pipeline and called for shared accountability between men and women in shaping the country’s future.

“Cohort 13, you are not just students anymore,” she concluded. “You are part of a pipeline. This is a movement, and it begins here.”

Also speaking at the ceremony, Executive Director of FACE Africa International Inc., Ms. Pauline Veronica Egan, praised Gonet Academy for placing women’s empowerment and leadership development at the center of its mission.

She described the Academy as a key driver of Liberia’s future, noting that the achievement of the graduates reflected years of perseverance and sacrifice beyond the day’s celebration.

“This institution’s deliberate focus on valuing women and promoting gender equality sets an important example for leadership development in Liberia,” Egan said, applauding the fact that women formed the majority of the graduating cohort.

She further disclosed that several members of FACE Africa’s staff are alumni of Gonet Academy, a testament, she said, to the quality of training the institution provides.

Egan urged the graduates to move forward as role models, committed to leadership, service, and national development, concluding that the gathering itself was proof that Liberia’s future remains promising.

Gonet Academy is the professional development and capacity-building arm of GonetAfrica, established to equip individuals with practical, future-ready skills for career growth, leadership, and national impact. Guided by the philosophy “Equipping for Excellence, Empowering for Impact,” the Academy blends technical training with leadership, ethics, and life skills.

Through its “3Es Framework”—Equip, Empower, Elevate—the institution prepares learners to reach their full potential and positively influence organizations, communities, and society. Since 2021, it has grown into a trusted national platform for professional learning, with graduates contributing meaningfully across Liberia and beyond.

The ceremony ended with a unified call to national service, as speakers charged the graduates to transform their institutions and help build a resilient Liberia anchored on competence, integrity, and purpose.