Liberia Launches National Digital Learning Platform to Expand Access to Quality Early-Grade Education

Paynesville —The Ministry of Education on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, officially launched the MOE Digital Learning Platform alongside the Liberia Learns Digital Radio and TV Program, an initiative aimed at strengthening early-grade learning and expanding access to quality education across the country.

By Patience M. Jones

The launch ceremony, held at the Paynesville City Hall outside Monrovia, brought together senior government officials, members of the Legislature, development partners, education stakeholders, teachers, students, parents, representatives of civil society organizations, and members of the media. The event marked a significant national effort to leverage technology, radio, and television to ensure that learning reaches every child, particularly those in rural and hard-to-reach communities.

The MOE Digital Learning Platform is designed specifically for Grades 1 through 3, with a strong focus on improving literacy and numeracy at the foundational level.

The platform delivers curriculum-aligned video, audio, and radio lessons developed by Liberian teachers to reflect local realities, languages, and classroom needs. Through partnerships with AfriLearn Tech Company Ltd and other stakeholders, the Ministry has ensured that all video lessons include sign language interpretation, promoting inclusion for learners with disabilities. In addition, radio lessons are intended to extend access to children in communities with limited or no internet connectivity.

Officially launching the platform, Minister of Education Jarso M. Jallah delivered a keynote address in which she emphasized that access to education alone is insufficient without quality instruction and mastery of basic skills. She noted that many children attend school and advance through grade levels but still struggle with reading comprehension and numeracy, a challenge that the new digital platform seeks to address directly.

“A nation’s commitment to learning is revealed not in what it promises, but in what its children are actually able to do,” Minister Jallah said.

According to her, the Digital Learning Platform represents a decisive response to evidence from the education sector and is designed to ensure consistent, high-quality instruction that aligns with the national curriculum. She further explained that the initiative supports President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, particularly its emphasis on human capital development as the foundation for national transformation.

“This platform does not replace teachers, it strengthens them,” the Minister stressed. “Technology must protect quality and reinforce sound pedagogy.”

Minister Jallah disclosed that the platform was developed entirely by Liberian teachers, who devoted hundreds of hours to scripting, lesson development, review, and recording. She explained that traditional classrooms were transformed into studios, allowing teaching to be extended beyond physical spaces without compromising instructional quality.

She also commended AfriLearn Tech Company Ltd, led by Dr. Nana Gyamfi Adwabour, for helping translate Liberian pedagogy into a scalable digital system. According to her, the partnership demonstrates that African challenges can be effectively addressed through African-led collaboration and innovation.

Parents welcomed the initiative, describing it as a timely intervention in strengthening children’s learning outcomes. Speaking on behalf of parents, Reverend Dr. Frederick N. Gbatu, Sr., President of the National PTA League of Liberia, praised the Ministry of Education for its commitment to reforming the education sector.

He described the platform as a call to action for parents and urged them to support their children’s learning by encouraging the use of radio and television lessons at home.

“Achieving quality education is not just about having a system, it is about ensuring that the system works,” Reverend Dr. Gbatu said. He noted that the platform’s greatest strength lies in its ability to reach every household with access to a radio or television, thereby reducing inequality in learning opportunities.

School administrators also endorsed the initiative, describing it as a turning point for education reform in Liberia. Speaking on behalf of the National Association of Liberia School Principals, Darrick Dennis said the launch marked a historic moment and noted that meaningful discussions about foundational learning in the 21st century cannot exclude technology.

“This is the time to unlearn outdated practices and relearn new digital standards,” he said, while pledging the full support of school principals nationwide.

County education leaders also welcomed the initiative, particularly its focus on extending learning opportunities to interior communities. Bong County Superintendent of Education, Madam Loleyah Hawa Norris, praised the Ministry for prioritizing rural learners and described the launch as one of the most encouraging announcements she has heard in years. She emphasized that the platform would help address technical illiteracy and improve learning outcomes across the country.

“This is the beginning of something new for Liberia,” she said.

As part of the launch program, the Ministry of Education recognized teachers who contributed to the development of the platform, presenting certificates of recognition in appreciation of their dedication and service.

The MOE Digital Learning Platform is designed to complement classroom instruction rather than replace it. It offers structured, curriculum-aligned lessons, audio and radio content for low-connectivity areas, assessment and practice activities, and instructional support tools to guide teachers in pacing and lesson delivery.

The platform will be accessible through multiple digital channels, as well as through radio and television broadcasts, including MOE Radio 92.9 FM MHz.