Monrovia –Condemnations have followed the police’s decision to use tear gas on protesting students of the Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS) who took to the streets to voice their frustrations over the government’s failure to pay public school teachers and the poor state of the country’s education system.
By Selma Lomax [email protected]
The police action resulted in injuries among students, drawing sharp criticism from various civil society groups and student unions.
The protest, which began on Monday, continued on Tuesday, with students blocking major roads between the Capitol Building and the Executive Mansion.
Their frustration stemmed from the ongoing issue of unpaid teachers, which they argued was severely disrupting their education. As the protest escalated, police on Capitol Hill fired tear gas to disperse the students, causing some to sustain minor injuries, while others fainted due to the heat and smoke.
Despite this, the protesters maintained their demand for the government to pay teachers so that they could return to their classrooms.
Dressed in their school uniforms, the protesting students marched through the streets of Monrovia, blocking traffic and causing significant congestion, with over 20 public schools in the city remaining closed for the second consecutive day.
In response to the protests, Education Minister Dr. Jarso Jallah condemned the demonstrations, stating, “We are not going to rest until we find the culprit who hired our children to go into the streets.” Jallah added that the government has allocated $4.2 million for MCSS, with $3.9 million earmarked for salaries, asserting that there is no reason for teachers not to be in the classroom.
She also emphasized that the government does not owe any teacher salary, claiming that it has even provided salary increases for 9,271 out of 13,400 teachers.
The Solidarity & Trust for a New Day (STAND), a prominent civil society organization, led the condemnation of the police’s actions. STAND Chairman, Mulbah Morlu, criticized the Liberia National Police for using tear gas against peaceful students, calling the demonstration a justified response to the government’s neglect of the education sector.
Morlu accused the government of prioritizing the lavish lifestyles of top officials over the needs of students and teachers, thereby leaving the education system in crisis.
He also condemned President Joseph Boakai’s leadership for allowing corruption and inefficiency to persist within the government.
“This reckless neglect of the education sector is not only a failure of leadership but also a deliberate assault on Liberia’s youth,” Morlu said. “It is a ticking time bomb that threatens the very foundation of our society.” He further urged the police to cease their violent suppression of peaceful protests, emphasizing that the right to assemble and demand better governance is fundamental in a democracy.
The Liberia National Students’ Union (LINSU) also weighed in, condemning the government’s failure to address widespread issues in the education sector, such as structural employment problems, wage irregularities, and poor school facilities.
LINSU highlighted the lack of basic teaching materials and the government’s apparent disregard for the future of Liberia’s youth. The union expressed its full support for the MCSS students and warned that if the government does not take immediate action to address the crisis, it would lead a nationwide student-led protest against public officials who continue to undermine the education system.
LINSU called on the government to prioritize paying teachers their rightful wages, improving school infrastructure, and investing in the future of Liberia’s education system.
Failing to do so, the union threatened to mobilize students across the country to protest against the government’s neglect of the education sector.
