Monrovia – Police in Monrovia on Monday, January 16, 2017 rescued over 50 students under the age of 15 that took onto the streets in protest over the failure of their school management to keep their teachers in school.
The students said their teachers had not been paid for four months, thus prompting their boycott of classes.
The students from the J. W. Pearson School being operated under the Bridge project ran by the Ministry of Education told the Inspector General of the LiberiaN Police upon arrival at the LNP Headquarters that the Ministry of Education has failed to pay their teachers or have them placed on payroll.
The young students who were seen walking the streets unguarded, exposed them to danger, said since the beginning of the New Year they were yet to have teachers attending to them.
They informed the Police Chief that their protest was intended to draw the attention of the Ministry of Education to meet the demands of their teachers that will see them return to the class room.
A Spokesperson for the protesting students, 11 years old Angeline Kanwea, said they were down hearted seen their friends in school why they sit at home.
“Mr. Police Director please talk to our teachers to return to the classroom we want be in school and not on the streets,” she said.
In response the Inspector General of Police Gregory Coleman expressed frustration over the plight of the students and promised to engage the ministry of Education to find solution to the matter.
IGP Coleman said he was worried over the manner in which the kids were seen in the streets unattended to.
“I’m going to call the minister right now and your school management so we all can sit and find a solution to your problem,” The IGP said.
The Police Chief who was unhappy over the students plight, than instructed his Public Safety Chief to provide escort for the kids to have them return to their campus.
At the same time the IGP has held discussions with the Management of the J. W. Pearson School at the headquarters of the Liberia National Police to work out means to have the students back in school.
IGP Coleman told the school administrator to be watchful of the movement of the students, stressing that they will be held responsible if they are seen unattended to on streets.
He said the protection of the students especially children was of concern to the LNP and called on the Bridge Management and the Ministry of Education to settle their differences to have the children back in school.
The Head of Communications at Bridge International Nora Bass lauded the Liberia National Police for the professional manner in which the police handle the students’ actions.
Madam Bass informed the Inspector General of Police that they are working out all the details to have the teachers back in the classroom, a situation she described as embarrassing.
She said her organization has made some settlement to some of the teachers and was making efforts to settle other teachers.