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Who is Allen Thomas Jr, Presidential Best Teacher Award Winner, Republic of Liberia 2023/2024

Allen Thomas Jr

Biography written by Fred Yeegbeh Jr, a sociologist and journalist

Tappita Nimba County Liberia: – Allen Thomas was born in Tappita City, Nimba County to the Union of Deacon Allen S. Thomas Sr. and Mrs. Louis Fallah Thomas, (deceased), on the 7th of November, 1990.

He was educated  at the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic High school,  Tappita United Methodist High School and Christian High School all in Tappita where he graduated in 2008.

As a student, he was studious, always claiming  first place except the ABC Class which was his first year in school.

In retrospect, he can recall that his life changed for the better when he was in the tenth grade. There was this  teacher, who entered his class on the first day, asking each and every student what they would want to become upon graduation. There were a lot of “engineers”, “doctors”, “nurses”, and “accountants”. He, like all others, proudly answered “medical doctor”.

 But there was this lone student who answered “teacher”. “We all laughed, joked and mocked this student”. “When the class eventually settled, the teacher exclaimed that this student has chosen the best profession”.

He stressed the importance of being a teacher and explained how all other professions depended upon it. We were dead silent.

He was so professional, friendly and intelligent that  Allen wanted nothing else but to be like him.

This was the beginning of my passion for teaching.

After his graduation from High school, he taught at the Raneh Christian School in Tappita for two years, from 2008 to 2010.

In a quest to become better prepared for the teaching profession, he matriculated at the ABC University in Yekepa in 2010, thanks to Pastor B. Menledy Towah and his parents for underwriting the cost of his first semester. 

Due to his discipline and academic excellence, Allen was appointed by the then president of the institution Dr. Delbert Chinchen as his administrative assistant while still a student.

 He also had the privilege of working with Mr. J. Kumeh, the principal of the Arcelor Mittal High School, formerly called LASS High.

After four years of intensive study, he graduated first place in his class, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education with specialty in the Sciences.

Upon his graduation, he returned to his home town of Tappita, where among other duties and responsibilities, he served as classroom teacher, Sports director at the Christian High School, the St. Francis High School and the Tappeh Memorial High school.

Currently, Allen is a government assigned Physics teacher at the Tappeh Memorial High School in Tappita and the principal of the Christian High School. In 2022, he  won  the best teacher in Nimba County and as the saying goes “you can’t keep a good man down”.

On August 18 2023 , it was reported on social media that Allen Thomas Jr has won the Presidential Best Teacher Award in the Republic of Liberia 2023/2024.

Between 2020 and 2023,  I  had the opportunity to work with Allen Thomas Jr as a teacher of Grammar at the Christian High School and  I  have known him to be a ‘result oriented’ individual. District six representative Dorwohn Gleekia said of him on a local radio station in Tappita “Allen is a genius”. Since I encountered Allen, I have had a great admiration for him. We are proud to have him come from Tappita”.

Allen is married to Mrs. Lydia Vaye Thomas and the union is blessed with two wonderful children.

He has several siblings and relatives. He loves sports and is a fan of Chelsea Football Club of London.

Just another genius from Tappita.

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