Monrovia – School have reopened across the country but a mixture of challenges are creating constraints for parents and students alike. Public schools appear to be overwhelmed while many private schools are struggling to enroll students.
Report By Bettie K. Johnson-Mbayo, [email protected], Augustine T.Tweh augustine, [email protected] & Mae Azango [email protected]
The dwindling economy is a major factor, most people who spoke to FPA have said.
E. Wilmot Blyden Presbyterian School on Perry Street in Monrovia has now shut down due to low enrollment of students.
“We had only 15 students registered and we cannot allow a high school to have this number [of students]. This is frustrating and the board [has] decided to shut down the school,” says Vice Principal Paye Boayue.
“So, they decided that if they open school, the first payment will be directly from the 15 students. What will happen to the other months?”
He added that “parents are feeling bad and it is heartbreaking for them,” at the same time he expressed regret that teachers, who had devoted their time to the school, will go out of job.
There has been an increment of fees at public schools as well. With a minimum fee of US$10.00 (L$2,000), some government schools’ enrollment has declined and have fewer children in the classrooms.
Daniel Y. Mulbah, Principal of the Charles D.B King Elementary School in central Monrovia, is worried that his school has recorded a low number of students as compared to last year.
At least 400 students have registered as compared to the 625 students last year.
The school is applying other means to lure more students but the results are not forthcoming.
“We are flexible with the parents and we allow them pay small at a time until they can complete payment and allow the children to wear color clothes until October 22, to allow parents to be able to buy uniforms later,” Mulbah said.
He said the school is also encouraging parents, who do not have money yet to register their children the request the administration deferred fees payments.
Parents Are Worried
Agnes Wesseh and Evelyn Toe have their children at the E. Wilmot Blyden Presbyterian School. They are now worried that the school has shut down.
“My son has been here since fourth grade and now he’s in ninth grade what am hearing is not pleasing, because going to another school is not just any process,” Wesseh said.
“Sometimes the money we have is what we pay and now things are really tough, I don’t know what to do and I can’t tell if my son will attend school this year.”
For Evelyn, she’s worried that her daughter might not attend school this year.
“We heard that the school shut down, I feel so bad because the economy is already strangulating me to pay the fees and I was coming to beg the school to accept her for a month or two and I will do some of the payment, this shut down story is very heartbreaking.”
At the same time, Anthony and Bridgette Kawar are worried that their children may not attend school this year because they have not received their salaries.
Anthony works with the University of Liberia while Bridgette is an employee of the Ministry of Finance.
Last year, three of the five children attended the St. Francis Catholic High School but now, they risk staying at home all day long.
More Students, No Chairs
While private schools are struggling to enroll more students, there’s an influx of students at most public schools.
The G.W Gibson High School on the Capitol Bye-pass has received more students this year than last year. The school, which runs only senior high classes, has more than 61 students in each class but many do not have seats.
“It has massively increased because of the hard cost of fees in private schools. Most of the students are now considering public schools,” says Moses Karnga, the school principal, who added that there were at least 50 students per class last year.
According to the Monrovia Consolidated School System, the government institution that operates several public schools in the country including G.W Gibson, a student is required to pay L$3,800 (US$18).
“Since school opened, we have not had any instructional materials from the government, chalks, sheets,” he said, adding that the government is yet to remit any instructional materials to the school.
Begging Extravaganza
Another private school, Richard M. Nixon Institute on the Capitol Bye Pass has delayed the reopening of the academic year because enrollment of student is at a snail speed.
Alphonso Goll, the school principal, said many students have paid less than 40 percent of their registration fees. The school has increased the fees to meet up with the salary demands of its staff, Goll said.
“If I increase salary, I have to increase tuition. Last year, 12th graders paid L$19,000 but now they are paying L$21,000 because everyone is feeling the weight from the poor economy,” he said
“If a child supposed to pay L$10,000 the parent wouldn’t be able to pay the money in full but will beg to pay L$7,000. It is not supposed to be so, but we can accept it because of the economic situation.
“Most of the students we have are begging students. If we are not careful in meeting up with the time in the next three to five months, we wouldn’t be able to pay the staff.”
Students Are Angry
Meanwhile, students of several private and public schools are expressing frustration over the “tripled increment of fees”.
The students claim that the hike in tuition is responsible for the low enrollment compounded by the economic constraints parents are enduring.
Yassah V. Kolliegbe, a student of the Kalita High School in Paynesville, said many parents are now challenged to pay their children fees.
“Last year attendance was much better than this year because things are very hard. Most parents are yet to register their children in school,” she said.
“As I speak to you now, I have only registered but I have not paid a cent for tuition. My parents told me that the President will come before the government pays them. I am now worried about how to pay my tuition.”
And Comfort Kamara, a student of the Pipeline Public School in Paynesville, said the government must do something to fix the problem.
“Our national leaders need to do something about the education system and fix the economy to reduce the many challenges we are going through as students: finding food, transportation, stationeries among other things,” he said.
For student Nehemiah F. Bonorfah of the Pipeline Public School, many of his fellow students have not begun class since school reopens a week ago.
At the same time, Tom T. Grayan, Vice Principal for Administration at the Dr. Henry M. Reeves High School in Paynesville, is concerned that the government is reneging subsidizing private schools as provided by the Education Act of 2011, which he claims makes it difficult for private schools to operate.
“So, it is the very thing that is burdensome on those institutions and that’s why the hiking of tuition is very high because teachers are demanding, the cost of living is very hard,” Grayan said.
“Last year, we had about 800 students but as you can see now, we have less than 500 students. And I think it’s happening because of the hard-economic situation in the country.”
Kids Out of School
While private schools struggle to enroll students and public schools challenged due to the lack of logistical support, some children are completely out of school.
In Mamba Point, Central Monrovia, a FrontPage Africa reporter observed that several children were out of school during school hours.
Five kids were seen sitting with their mother in the basement of a house, as she parcels char coals in plastic bags.
“I do not have money to pay all these children school fees because money business is hard, so we have to tie coal to be able to buy food to eat before we talk about school fees. What time I will have to raise 10,000 Liberian Dollars to pay for all of them? I want President Weah to feel for us and talk to the school to bring the school fees down, because I used to pay L$ 500.00 before, to register my children but now, it is L$2,000 and the coal market is no running,” said Oretha Flomo, a single mother.