MONROVIA — Montserrado County Senator Saah Hardy Joseph has called on authorities of the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Liberia National Police (LNP) to reconsider their latest decision to ban gala day parades by schools operating across the country.
By Obediah Johnson
In Liberia, a Gala Day Parade, is a colorful and spirited event typically held to spice up a school’s Gala Day Celebration at the end of an academic year. It involves a public procession featuring students, teachers, and sometimes cultural or community groups marching through the streets with band, music, dance, costumes, and banners.
It can be recalled that that on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, the MOE and LNP jointly announced the immediate enforcement of a nationwide ban on street parades associated with Gala Day, graduation ceremonies, and WASSCE celebrations. The move comes amid growing safety concerns and increasing incidents of public disorder.
The crackdown targets spontaneous student processions, many of which have escalated into dangerous activities involving minors riding on top of moving vehicles, obstructing traffic, and in some cases, suffering serious injuries.
“The safety and success of every Liberian child remains our utmost priority. Let us work together to foster an environment of order, pride, and responsible celebration,” Education Minister Jarso Jallah stated.
But speaking on the OK Morning Rush on OK FM 99.5 via telephone from the United States on Thursday, June 19, 2025, Senator Joseph said the government, through the LNP and MOE, should rethink its decision and put into place measures to regulate gala day celebrations in Liberia.
“I want to make an appealing statement to the Ministry of Education and the Liberia National Police as Senator of Montserrado County to please reconsider their decision and allow those students to march. What needs to be placed in order is for government to call on the Principals of the schools to come and have a discussion,” Senator Joseph stated.
He said government should clearly mandate school authorities or Principals to abide by specific measures before their schools are allowed to host gala day parades.
He stressed that gala day parades are very important not only to the students, but parents, community dwellers and the society in general.
He added that these parades encouraged parents to send their children to school, and attract students to be serious to enroll at these institutions of learning.
“The reason these students parade is because they’re going to encourage their friends that are sitting home and don’t want to attend school-It encourages them to come to school,” he said.
Senator Joseph emphasized that gala day parades also foster positive competitions among schools in the country and as such, government should rescind its ban placed on street parade by students during gala day celebrations.
He said many of the schools are not ideally located within various communities across Liberia and as such, school authorities and students are constrained to take to the streets to parade.
He added that the congestion of these communities and the lack of sports stadium compelled these school authorities and students to parade on the streets during gala day celebrations.
“The community dwellers or citizens in those communities also appreciate seeing those students marching. This is why everybody comes on the road when schools are parading; they are there waiving and encouraging them.”
He stated that at the end of an academic year, these gala day parades also serve as an avenue for students to unite and play after a long academic year.
Senator Joseph further called on government to put in place regulations, instead of banning street parades during gala day celebrations of schools in Liberia.
He, however, vowed to purchase and donate a new set of marching bands to the school that would be selected for the best drills by the Ministry of Education during the celebration of this year Flag Day on August 24 in Liberia.