Liberia: Stop Treating Teachers Like Outcast, Liberian Educator Mulbah Warns Stakeholders

Gbarnga,Bong County — Liberian educator Philip Mulbah on Monday chided stakeholders in education in Liberia to stop treating teachers as outcasts.

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By Rancy Clarke, Contributing Writer 

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Mulbah claimed the past and current governments of Liberia have treated public school teachers across the country as outcasts, giving them significant reasons to compromise the profession.

Mulbah stated that the leaders of the country from 2011 till now have done little in improving the salaries of teachers, consistent with the Education Reform Law of Liberia. He cited section 6.3.13 of the law, which indicates that a teacher salary should commiserate with his qualification, subject and location but said this has not been fully implemented.

He noted that most teachers with Bachelor or Master’s degrees make less than $200 despite their credentials. He lamented that the huge salary disparities have forced many governments employed teachers to extend their services to more than four schools, making them inconsistent with the public schools. 

For example, Mulbah holds a B certificate, Bachelor and Postgraduate degrees in Education but earns just $103, misaligning with his qualifications.

Mulbah, who won Bong County’s best teacher award two times, blames the national government for irregularities in the educational sector and the poor conditions of some public schools across the country.

“Government is not serious about education. The government is playing a gamble with our educational system and has treated teachers with gross disrespect and wants them to be effective in the classrooms. How do you expect a teacher making peanuts to be committed to duties? This is how terrible our educational system is.” 

However, the Liberian educator urged the Ministry of Education to formulate a standardized salary scheme, invest into the educational system and monitor all public schools as part revitalizing the educational system.

Parents’ views about the educational system 

Timothy Cassel, a resident of Gbarnga expressed disappointment in the low salary government employed teachers are paid, describing it as denigrating. He suggested that the Ministry of Education offer scholarships to public school teachers to enable them advance their credentials as part of having more professionals in the classrooms.

Thomas Saydee, a Liberian studying in China stated that the national government is liable for the huge condemnation facing Liberia’s education system. Saydee called on the government to pay teachers in line with their credentials in order to address the malpractices at public schools.

A local farmer in Kokoyah District, Goyormore Sirleaf, asserted that teachers play a vital role in the development of the country and recommended that they be paid accordingly. “Imagine, my earning is more than those impacting knowledge necessary to advance this country.”