YARPAH TOWN, River Cess–Betty Miller is a single mother of six children aged six to 13. She is also a farmer, one of many here have struggled to feed and educate their children in the past four years because of poor harvests.  

Miller says her three oldest children dropped out of school because she could not pay the fees. The three others are in school, from kindergarten to grade three.

“I was used to make farm to send the children to school, but now when I make the farm no good thing can’t come out,” says Miller, 52, who grows bitter ball and other crops. Miller says she began selling prepared food at the local market here for extra money, but there was still not enough.

Subsistence farming is the most prevalent occupation in Liberia with some estimates saying as many as four in every five Liberians survive on what they grow. As climate change gathers pace farmers are seeing their livelihoods hit by flooding, unpredictable temperatures and rainfall, soil erosion and an infestation of pests.  It is a big factor in the massive 20 percent jump in the number of Liberians living in poverty in 2023, according to the World Bank. There are many knock-on effects: increased migration, drug addiction and men leaving families to go to artisanal mining sites. But one new troubling harm, say experts, is the impact on education.  

Liberia introduced free and compulsory education until grade nine in 2001 but allowed schools to charge fees to cover expenses. Those extra fees made education too expensive for a growing number of farm families. Many also needed their children to work on the farms. Public schools here report that up to a fifth of students have dropped out this year.

The Education Reform Act, reaffirmed in 2011, was intended to encourage school enrollment and to fulfill the constitutional provision that obligates government to develop the minds of Liberian children. No child can be denied an education, because of fees such as grade entrance examinations, transportation, and food.  Schools are allowed to charge fees like the ones Miller says she must pay – for volunteer teachers, the Parent Teacher Association (PTA), and food.  

Miller says she pays L$3000 for her child in kindergarten and $L1000 for the other two annually, or about $US31 in total.  She says the money she earns from farming and from selling rice and fish snacks barely covers those fees.

“I bless God that I able to send three, but it can’t send all the children,” Miller says.

Miller says four years back she was able to generate enough, sometimes L$5000 in a single week, from the sale of farm produce to pay for all her children’s school fees and other bills. Now she says she is afraid that her girls might end up in a child marriage, or her boys in drug abuse.

“When the children [do] not go to school, mostly the boy children, the way they can turn to Zogos (youth vulnerable to homelessness and drug addiction) can really worry me,” Miller says.

“Climate change is generally responsible for most of the losses and the challenges that farmers are facing right now,” says Jonathan Stewart, executive director and chief executive officer of Agro-Tech Liberia, a consultant to farmers and farm co-operatives.   “There is so much of an environmental situation influencing crop production or animal production, whatever it is, in agriculture.”

An informal survey in River Cess by Front Page Africa/New Narratives, found Miller’s situation is typical of most farmers here. Parents say they cannot cover the costs of their children’seducation anymore. Children, like Miller’s, either work on farms with their parents, leave the county for work in the city or in illegal gold mines, or become street vendors, parents say.

Emmanuel Smith, 35, a well-known farmer in this area who has had large farms and profits from his harvests, says the past five years have been a nightmare. Smith and his wife, Saydah, have four sets of twins aged 3 to 14. To help with the farm work, the 14-year-old twins have stopped going to school. 

Emmanuel Smith, a well-known farmer with a history large farms and sizeable profits from his harvests, says the past five years has been a nightmare: Photo by Eric Opa Doue/NN.

Smith says the many fees charged plus the required fees are too much for him, because he no longer generates much money because of poor harvests.

“The government school not free because those that in ABC (kindergarten) I think we pay about three thousand for them. Then the ones in first grade to second grade we pay one thousand,” Smith says, “But every month they have their volunteer teachers. Each child, one hundred dollars, and again their eating fees. All those things you calculate before the semester, not small money.”

Gwald denies the school charges fees for volunteer teachers. But he told NN/FPA that more than 20 of the 187 students who enrolled at the beginning of this school year have dropped out because their parents could not afford the fees. More are expected to drop out before the end of the school year.

“Parents complain a lot they don’t have one or two thousand to pay for their children,” says Gwald. “We are expecting them to be able, by right, they should pay, have their uniforms set before entering the school. Elementary, from first grade to six grade, you will pay just one thousand per that school year.”

At Sayouh Public School, also in Timbo district, Principal Daniel Druzon, says about 20 students of an enrollment of 200 have dropped out. He claims parents of students in both kindergarten and elementary are asked to pay just L$1000, even though the government has approved L$3000 for kindergarten.

This farming season, Smith cultivated another big plot of land where he has started planting corn and cassava. In the morning, he and the older twins – staying home from school – work in the fields, while Saydah, prepares food for them. On Miller’s farm, she and her three oldest children are planting bitter ball and cassava, but not much optimism abounds in River Cess for a good harvest.

S. Alberto Dixon, chairperson of Agri Liberia Incorporated, a local farmers’ cooperative in Yarpah Town, agrees complaints from parents about school fees have greatly increased as crops have failed.

“Some will tell you I’ve noticed that the crop is not actually coming up well,” says Dixon. “I’m watering them, but I will see the mekey (pests) getting on them eating up their leaves.”

Liberia has had a dry season that runs from mid-October to mid-April and a rainy season that extends from mid-April to mid-October for as long as anyone remembers.  Farmers say they can no longer depend upon that.

“March one, we received heavy downpour of rain,” says Dixon, who is also a teacher at Yarpah Public School. “On the third, we also experienced another heavy downpour of rain. That alone is climate change.”

So-called “smart agriculture” solutions that are helping farmers in the country to adapt to more climate resilient practices have not reached most people here. Until they have other options desperate parents here say they have no option but to sacrifice their children’s future to survive.

This was a collaboration with New Narratives as part of the “Investigating Liberia” project. Funding was provided by the American Jewish World Service and the Swedish Embassy in Liberia. The funders had no say in the story’s content. 

MONROVIA – In an effort to build a more prosperous society as the country and the world at large battle to heightening economic difficulties, a Liberian educator has urged government authorities and parents, and stakeholders to place key emphasis on education at different levels. 

To seal this effort of making education a priority issue, Madam Lucia B.T. Paygai, a former District Education Officer for Montserrado County, urged the Government of Liberia (GoL) through the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MGCSP) to play a vital role by removing children involved with street selling during school hours from the streets.

Madam Paygai pointed out that education is of great importance for the nation’s growth and development and as such, it must be prioritized by all stakeholders including the government and parents. 

The Liberian educator made these comments when she served as keynote speaker at the 13th graduation exercises of the Covenant Outreach School System in Paynesville, outside Monrovia. She spoke on the topic: “Education the bedrock for national development.”

“If we want the best for our children, all hands must be on deck. The Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Gender must play a vital role for removing our children from the street selling business during school hours,” the guest speaker maintained. 

Madam Lucia Paygai, who is also a former chairperson for the Counseling Department at the faith-based African Methodist Episcopal University (AMEU), urged parents to play their role by doing all they can to send their children to school irrespective of the economic difficulties.

 “Parents must do all they can to send their children to school until they have received a college degree. Time has changed; if you want your child to marketable in the world at large, stand strong and educate your child. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to know that times are tough, but if parents make education for their children a priority and ask for God’s intervention, they will succeed,” she stated.

“Parents must stop sending their children or relatives’ children in the streets to be market sellers. If you want your child to be advance in business, make sure he or she is educated for a better business in the future. Street selling can go so far and no further with limited or no education,” Madam Paygai, an early childhood education expert advised.

On the graduation of the 13th batch of students of Covenant,  she commended the instructional and administrative staff of the institution for their parfence, love and compassion for the educational sector,  noting that it is a very sensitive profession with no money but great reward. 

“Teachers need to infer from a child’s behavior, meaning gathering information from evidence, use observation and background to reach a logical conclusion. You probably practice inference every day by watching how she or he makes faces when served a new food he/she does not like. Teachers must be observant, because there are many areas in child development that need attention; concerns are as follows: physical, emotions, language, social, to name a few,” explained. 

“The work of a teacher is very challenging, let us work cooperatively with our teachers and give them all our support. God bless you teachers, may he continue to strengthen you as you impact knowledge to the younger generation,” Madam Paygai urged. 

She cautioned the graduates agaist complacency, thus calling on them to strive for the highest height in their educational sojourn. 

“This graduation today is a start, just a stepping stone for hat is to come. Even so, I must congratulate you for this accomplishment; continue this good work you have started until you get to the finish line. God will guide you throughout your educational journey. Listen to your parents so you will have a prosperous life, and your days on earth will be long and happy. Do not let peer pressure destroy you.”

Rev. Martha K. Youmi, Proprietress of the Covenant Outreach School System, lauded the instructors for their timeless services rendered the institution. 

She also thanked parents for making the institution their preferred choice for their children, as she called on them for collective engagements that would better the school. 

“Without you, there would have been no Covenant Outreach School. Thanks a million times for entrusting us with your children, and we look forward to you your constructive criticism, comments and our collective recommendations that may sometimes help us improve our system and develop the minds of our children for a better future,” the Covenant head administrator added.

MONWEH, River Cess- Jacob Beegar sits on a rattan chair under a palaver hut while his friends run around. Jacob doesn’t join them. The 15-year-old doesn’t want to play. He would rather be in school.

Jacob should be in the 4th grade at the nearby Giemengbleh Public School in Kporkon Monweh District. But the school has been closed since 2020.

Instead, Jacob accompanies his uncle John Beegar every morning to help with farm work. Jacob is the last of four children. Uncle John took him in when his parents could not afford to keep him in school. Jacob fears his own future will be not better than his parents’.

“My ma and pa poor, that why I want to go to school to help them,” says Jacob. “But the way I not going to school again, that mean I will be poor like them.”

The school shut in 2020 when the last teacher finally left. Even before the school closed it was doing a poor job of teaching kids in this village.

“The school had just one teacher teaching more than one hundred and forty some more children,” according to Jacob’s uncle John. “But the man was not getting pay from the government so he closed the school and left.”

The school building – made of sticks with mud walls – has begun to collapse. It sits now, a roofless ruin, on the edge of the village – a symbol of the crumbling dreams of children and parents here.

The closest school is in Boegeezay, an hour away by motorbike. Jacob’s uncle does not have the $LD1000 it costs each day to send his nephew there. Neither do other families here. Jetta Wee, 10, and Blessing Duo, 11, are among other kids sitting under the palaver hut instead of going to school. Other children moved to stay with relatives in Boegeezay or the city of Buchanan.   

Many schools in River Cess are closing because of teacher shortages. Parents and teachers blame poor management by the Ministry for Education. Potential teachers find it impossible to get on the payroll. When teachers leave they continue to get salaries. And the ministry does not replace teachers when they leave.  

Records from the office of the County Education Officer show that there are 115 public schools in five education districts in River Cess county. 400 government teachers are assigned in the county. But teachers and parents say the true number of teachers in classrooms is likely far less.

FrontPage Africa and New Narratives first did an investigation of River Cess schools a decade ago finding as many as 45 students crammed into classrooms with no roof and chairs. Funding was a major problem then, with just $US40m allocated to the entire country’s education system including universities. Ten years on, the budget for education has more than doubled to $US87m but still many students are missing out.

Experts say the problem is playing out across rural areas of the country with dire consequences for Liberia’s future. Educating children is vital to Liberia’s development but a 2018 Unicef report found that 16% of primary aged children were out of school, one of the highest rates in the world. “An inclusive education for all” is number 4 of the UN’s 16 Sustainable Development Goals.

Teacher shortages plague River Cess. A story by this reporter on ELBC Super Morning Show in December found that 50 teachers had left River Cess classrooms and were still being paid. Shortly after that story broke, Peter Knowlden, River Cess County Education Officer, wrote to the Director of Human Resources at the Ministry of Education to put “a hold” on the salaries of 50 teachers he claimed had abandoned the classroom but were still receiving salaries.

Knowlden, in an interview, said he convened a meeting in Cestos in October 2021 where some of these teachers were in attendance. According to him, he told them to “come home to return to the classrooms or be deleted from the payroll.”

“Some of those guys had been out of the classroom for more than 10 years,” Knowlden said. “If they do not come back, we will not delete them but the law will delete them.” 

But in fact, documents obtained by FPA/New Narratives show that the majority of the teachers left their roles with the approval of the heads of the school districts.

Teachers say they were given permission to leave

Eight of the teachers being accused of abandoning their duties were interviewed by FPA/New Narratives but almost every one of them claimed that they were granted permission to leave.

In an interview, Peter Wilson, then District Education Officer, confirmed he had granted the leave but alleged that the teachers reneged on their agreements.

“They went to study to come back but they have overstayed and that was not the agreement,” Wilson says. “They schools are empty and they are in Buchanan doing nothing. That’s we took the decision to let the ministry know.”

But that is not the case according to letters seen by FPA/New Narratives. Teacher John Toby, for instance, was granted permission to take leave in December 2020 and resigned a year later. Wilson received the resignation 21 days before the CEO filed the complaint to the Ministry of Education. Toby now works in the office of Wellington Geevon Smith, a senator of River Cess.

Several schools are shut down here due to lack of teachers while others are being run by a single teacher. One such is school is Gbouzohn Public school in Kploh which was closed from 2019 to 2021. Jerome Toe, the only teacher assigned here was deleted from the payroll in 2018. After failing to get his name back on the government’s payroll, he closed the school and left the town.

Parents persuaded him to reopen the school in November 2021. Although many of the students have dropped out or moved to gold mines for work, Toe says the current enrollment is about 150.

“My name was deleted from the Government of Liberia Payroll since 2018, when the IAA [Internal Audit Agency] came and I was not present during the time of the audit due to my illness,” Toe says. “When I was away the community usually cry because for the past two years children were not learning things were really down. So I decided to come and the reception is still poor. Even if I charge them $LD500 for students to register it is still coming slow, that making I alone to be in the classroom.”

When there are teachers, they are often absent. Vondeh Public School has 163 students, but when FPA/New Narratives visited in June, the school had been shut because its two teachers left for a training workshop in Cestos.

“The teachers told us that they were going for their salaries on the road to come back,“ Garpue said Edwin Garpue, Chairperson of the Parents Teachers Association (PTA). “But I’m surprised to hear that they are attending training in Cestos. So like that, there will be no school here for the next two weeks or so.”

Other schools that are shut down in River Cess as a result of teacher shortage, coupled with other challenges are in Gorzohn, Dorbor, Sawpue and Gbardiah.

Following media reports and a public outcry the Minister of Education, Ansu Sonii, announced an investigation in the county. The result of the probe saw all DEOs and the Human Resource Officer in the offices of the CEO – Peter Wilson, Isaac Innis, David Jarwoe and Cheyee Kpanwon – suspended for one month without pay.

Their suspension letters dated May 2, 2022 were under the signature of James Armah Massaquoi, Acting Deputy Minister for Administration at the Ministry of Education.

According to County Education Officer Knowlden, the suspensions were triggered by the discovery of 50 teachers who reportedly abandoned the classrooms but were still receiving salaries. 27 teachers were retired in June 2021 by the Ministry and not replaced.

Upon hearing that the DEOs were suspended, many residents and civil society actors in River Cess hailed the Minister. But Simon Outland, the head of the River Cess’ Branch of the Civil Society Council of Liberia, is one of many critics who say in order to really improve the River Cess School System the Ministry should go further.

“One month is not sufficient,” says Outland. “It should be one year or six months without pay.”

George Trokon, a retired teacher and former president of the River Cess’ CSOs says, because the government has not been punishing corrupt education officers, they continue to spoil the county’s school system. 

 “One month suspension is not sufficient. The schools have no teachers as we speak,” says Trokon.“The ministry should always be prepared to replace people and they are not doing it. You come you see so, so, C certificate holders teaching all the subjects.”

The CEO insists the investigation will continue.

“Those findings, media reports and every other concern being raised by our people are being looked into,” says Knowlden. “No matter where you are, if you are found liable for anything, you will be punished. But we have to work in line with the policy.”

This story was a collaboration with New Narratives as part of its ‘Investigating Liberia” series. Funding was provided by the Swedish Embassy in Liberia. The funder had no say in the story’s content.

Introduction:

COVID-19 has resulted in schools shutdown all across the world. According to UNESCO Institute for statistics data 2020, globally, over 1.2 billion children are out of the classroom causing delay in education, especially, for developing countries. More than 60% of the world’s students are no longer receiving their typical education according to UNESCO. Nearly 1.3 billion students are stuck at home after their school year was suddenly interrupted. Many Schools began trying to navigate distance learning, teachers have switched to virtual classrooms, parents have took on new roles as home schooling is become a norm. Education has changed immensely, due to this; e-learning is now undertaken tenuously and on a visual platform. The future of education is unclear. Many students and teachers do not know when classes will resume and things will shift back to normal.

While others are embracing the new hybrid model education that is been introduced during this pandemic and believe that integration of information technology will have significant benefits, others are unsetting about the future of education. Liberia is one of the few countries that has suffered and is still suffering through various diseases and mishap in governance and the sustenance of a fragile educational system. It is a struggle to get a good education in Liberia due to the long lasting effects of the 14 years civil war, amalgamated by the 2014 school closure due to the Ebola outbreak and the now school closure due to the Covid-19 outbreak, and the weak family structure system. This combined with other reasons have had a huge impact on education in Liberia.  Therefore, it is vital to pinpoint situations that could exacerbate illiteracy in Liberia in order to eradicate and decrease the illiteracy rate in Liberia. The constant closure of learning institutions and halt to learning could most likely cause reluctance in enrollment and limit students deal for education. Against this background, this article is written to caution the government, family and the people of Liberia to considered alternative method in time of crisis and prioritize education as an essential tool to nation growth and development.

Discussion

Liberia according to UNESCO in 2017, has an adult literacy rate of 48.3%;  a male literacy rate of 62.7%  and a female literacy rate of 34.09%. The population of Liberia is approximately 4,809,763 with approximately 47% below the age of 15 and 19% below the age of 5. See UNESCO Table Below:

 This population analysis represents the 15 administrative areas within the country; each divided into severe districts. Liberia, in 2003, emerged from a 14 years of brutal civil war that resulted in the death of approximately 270.000 people and a 2016 deadly Ebola virus with the fatality rate been approximately 4000, these has led to the collapse of both traditional, formal and institutional structure. Even though, gradually thriving for advancement, 64% of the population still lives below the poverty line (1.25%) with 1.3 million living in extreme poverty.  Ranking 162/169 on the Human Development Index (2010), it is one of the poorest countries in the world. Currently, Liberia faces a range of social problems and resources constraints, which impacts the growth, development and long term prosperity of the country’s adults and youth advancement ( LIGIS 2018 index).

Due to the collapse of the educational system, enrollment in tertiary and formal institutions has been a challenged leading to the emergency of the COVID-19. Already, Liberia has being using the conventional method of education with lack of modern facilities and good environment to facilitate learners. With the abrupt interruption of the coronavirus, education in Liberia is being badly effected due to the underfunded educational system. Even though, there are series of short-term agendas proposed to be implemented by the Ministry of Education to restore the quality of education back to Liberia, the rural areas with no road connection to the capital Monrovia may benefit little or less. And if the rural areas lack tangible education, illiteracy could still be on the increase. To add, on a systematic level, there are no national school quality standards and capacity and resources at county and district levels. Now that Coronavirus has forced many small and large institutions all over the world to partially close school. What is the future of the education in Liberia? Will Liberia continue to fall prey to disaster  or take heed to prevent the delay in education and enrollment?

On the one hand, some rural areas do not even have schools facilities not to mention electricity and internet connection to conduct e-learning that is being introduced during this time of pandemic. This seems a clear indication that education will certainly be delay due to the long-existing conventional method of learning (classroom, desk, blackboard and chalk) that has been used over-time and the poor facilities available to learners.

However, it seems that the system devalue the importance of family (Husband and wife). This could be considered one of the cardinal reasons for low output and less enrollment in formal and vocational institutions around Liberia. Research conducted by the gender office in Grand Bassa Women Development Association unveil that 95% of Liberian women are single mother. As the result, single-mothering has had a spillover effect felt in almost all part of the nation because this yield to low performance of children in school, lack of quality education for children, financial constraints and lack of basic needs which increases crime, early introduction to social and moral corruption and less parental guidance in homes.

In addition, family plays a significant role in every child’s education. Though the government role is important, the family is more important. It is commonly said that “education begins at home.” In the book “Family as an educational factor”, American sociologist H.J. Rekt points out that family is the most important and effective agency of education. It is the basis and center of all social, political, moral, economic, physical, religious interaction in the society. Therefore, education begins from family. In relation to the Liberian society, broken family and single-parent family has been a sufficient hindrance to every child’s upbringing. (Charles Murray 1960-2010 in his book “Coming Apart”; acknowledge that one of the greatest secret of successful upper class is it dedicated practice of traditional family values. Men and women who married and have children within marriage are more likely to be in the upper class. Even though there are exceptions, but on the over all, family value plays a significant role in education of a child.

In light of these, the brief analysis in this paper is to caution government, families, national and international organization to prioritize education. Due to the uncertainty of life, it is essential to prepare in time of peace for war. In other words, Liberia would have been prepared to adapt to the new model of education in this pandemic if it had prepared earlier. As seen, it is easy for western countries to adjust even in time like these but can Liberia adjust to hybrid model of education now?  USAID’s education programs has been very helpful since after the war helping to improve the  quality of teaching and increasing equitable access to safe learning but more is yet to be done.  This paper aimed at pointing out the loophole of the education system in Liberia with suggested way forward.

Liberia is significantly behind many countries in nearly all education statistics.  Education on the average has been slow in Liberia. According to the December 2015 Consensus and Economic information center (Montana), Liberia primary age student was reported at 37.683% as compare to Nigeria which is 65.949% or Neighboring Sierra Leone at 99.177%.

Almost all services available to embrace the e-learning platform are found almost exclusively in the capital, Monrovia but still extremely limited due to unstable power connection. Not to mention, telephone service is basically limited to most counties with an entirely wireless telecommunications market with high cost and limited bandwidth of connections and slow data rates. People in the rural counties, have no or less access to electricity and safe drinking water which is a necessity for a safe learning environment; and internet service that could embrace the mixed learning method during this pandemic.

Education in Liberia was severely affected by the civil war between 1989 and 2003. In 2010, the literacy rate of Liberia was estimated at 60.8% (64.80% for male and 56.8% for females). Liberia Education Sector Analysis report asserted that the vast majority of Liberia’s students are older than the appropriate age grade therefore, are at high risk of dropping out of school compared to children who are at the appropriate age in grade (UNESCO 2016, Liberia MoE 2010). As people around the world are taking precaution during this pandemic to protect themselves, their families and community, it is important that children can continue to learn, and they must do so in an environment that is welcoming, respectful and inclusive and supportive to all. Monrovia and its surrounding is not Liberia. That is, model of education in time of crisis must be introduced at all counties, districts and regional level. Whatever method that is been introduced during this pandemic must be accessible to all children within the border of Liberia. This can help to mitigate and eradicate the huge illiteracy rate in Liberia.  

 COVID-19 emergency closure of schools could even enhance lateness in early enrollment of children in primary schools and the decline of university degree candidates. Not to mention vocational training institutions. It is almost, entirely neglected. Thanks to the effort of UNICEF in recent years that have been helping to revamp and develop skilled workers. In contrast, the Liberia population has realized great gain in educational attainment since after the war, an additional 25% of the population has gained access to education, attainment of primary education and tertiary education has double, and attainment of secondary education has also realized significant gains according to UNESCO 2016 report on Liberia. Nevertheless, according to the Liberia Education Sector Analysis 2016, 47.3% of the population has no education which is above the regional average of 34%.

Disasters such as armed conflict, force displacement and protracted crisis have disrupted the education of 1.5 billion children and youth globally according to UNICEF 2002-2006. And that number is growing in an unprecedented way with the spread of COVID-19. Precisely, education is hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic with the estimated 1.53 billion learners out of school and 184 country-wide school closures, impacting 87.6% of the world’s total enrolled learner. Drop-out rates across the globe are likely to rise as a result of this massive disruption to education access (UNESCO MONITORING). Developed, developing and underdeveloped countries both suffered alike this pandemic and have decline and delay in education attainment. Unfortunately, developing and undeveloped countries are the ones affected mostly due to the limited education facilities and poor education system.

While effort is being made by World health Organization, other national and international organizations and governments to combat this deadly pandemic and restore normal life, it still remains a challenge. Thanks to Liberia and its government and international partner who has tremendously helped to stop the spread of the disease. But the continuation of education remains dormant in almost all towns and villages. This must be a serious concern for institutions and families of Liberia, education must not be halted because it is essential for growth and development.   

On March 16, 2020, the first case of the COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed; the second case was on March 17, and the third case after which the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare declared a national health emergency on the 22 of March. In addition, Liberia was one of the first countries to start screening passengers for COVID-19 at the airport. Liberia has being at least on the positive side trying to avoid mishap and losing it citizens to COVID-19. But, while other critical needs are being targeted like the distribution of food, mask and other basic necessities, education needs cannot be forgotten because this have an equally detrimental impact if left unaddressed. Even though, few radio stations are hosting lessons for children, it cannot be efficient if basic necessities are lacking in homes, towns, cities and districts all over the country. What about those students that is in the rural, those without radio in their homes and how it is possible for a student to be attentive and learn from video lessons?

Liberia already has a serious education challenge including poor learning outcomes, overage enrollment, huge number of out-of-school children, waste government resources because of ghost teachers and unskilled teachers, and many unqualified teachers, the pile-on of this pandemic interruption to education can have long term implications especially for the most vulnerable (those in the rural and urban poor). Because of the weak foundation of many school going children, there can be a risk of regression and if  more effort is not made to support the education while in this pandemic, many  children may feel the  reluctance of  obtaining education, especially those overage students. In late March 2020, the UNICEF office in Liberia received a funding of US $70,ooo to support the Ministry of Education with airing radio lessons and purchasing radios to allow vulnerable children have access to educational program. But, vulnerable children are all in the rural who have no access to radio or electricity. So, how are they going to benefit from this radio education program? Especially with the lack of a comprehensive sector plan and concerns about accountability systems, As many towns and villages are totally neglected and benefiting less from Liberia. Some towns are totally detached from other counties due to poor road connections.

Throughout Liberia’s contemporary history, the education system has been characterized by features of fragility and structural weaknesses, including the need for,  efficient administration, dedicated and well-paid teachers, proper supplies, maintenance, development of an educational revival, and reform of the tax structure’ (Lanier, 1961: 256). More than 80% of public schools are under-resourced in Liberia, with rural areas totally neglected or less prioritized by the system (Education and Fragility in Liberia; IIEP research papers; 2011). Education in the rural region is totally dormant. On the one hand, schools in and around the capital are  ill-equipped to respond to the teaching and learning challenges of the 21^st century-let along the latest demands of the pandemic. The current lockdown has suddenly compelled teachers to adopt predominantly online, blended learning teaching practice. But less than 12% of the population has access to electricity that means, approximately 90% of the population in urban and rural have less connection to the internet. For Liberia to compete with other nations it must enhance it weak and under developed enabling environment, weak public utility, delayed expansion of transmission and distribution network to augment existing generation capacity.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the capacity to enhance education is weak at all level, thereby seriously undermining the effectiveness of growth and development in Liberia.  Moreover, the COVID-19 outbreak resonates deeply at the heart of every government, national and international organizations and severely hampered the process of learning and enrollment in all institutions around the world especially, Sub-Saharan Africa region with fragile economic and education system. Sadly, it has put a halt to so many activities and nation’s progression. But, it should also be seen as an eye opener for many poor countries like Liberia who had always focus its attention on one form of education transmission. The system of Liberia should be re-studied and inclusive of long-term education plans for its young generation. On the over all, this pandemic has brought suffering, fear and death to populations everywhere, but its impact is not shared equally. Therefore, the family, government and international institutions in Liberia must collectively work together to ensure growth and advancement of every child’s education.

The need for sustainable education amongst the youth in Liberia must be considered crucial for development due to the fact that there is a direct nexus between education, employment and development; in that human capital may directly increase productivity making individuals with greater human capital more valuable and the society more respectable if more people are educated. Therefore, mechanism for delivering services to the young generation must be prioritized. Aside from war, even in pandemic, learning must not stopped.  Education for children must be highlighted now amongst Liberia long-term plans in order to secure the future of Liberia; family structure must be revamp and strengthen in order to have an advance society.  Considering the economic and political conditions in the country, it is now time to target human needs and capacity building. This can be done through sustainable education and accessible and adequate learning environment.

Recommendation:

Education has a vital role in creating a fair and just society, building strong communities and developing knowledge based economy. Education is the route to equality of opportunity for communities and is able to release people potentials’ not only during their time at school/university but also throughout their working lives. The lockdown and economic suspension is going to cause huge interruption in students learning, disruption in internal assessments as it did in the time of the Ebola crises. In order to mitigate these negative impact compounds with the home radio learning procedures introduced, schools need resources to rebuild the education sector all around the country. Resources such as radios, textbooks, study guides and equipment for all children of Liberia; every school going age children in Liberia must be targeted as they are essential to the development of Liberia.

The 2010 Liberia Education sector framework has highlighted it goal and mission to provide all Liberians with the opportunity to access and complete affordable education quality, relevance and appropriateness that meets the needs of children and the nation, its aim to provide a system of education that is flexible, evolves with time and fully meets the needs and aspirations of the people individually and collectively as a nation. How it intends to do that is in the full text of the framework. To add up to what the government has aimed to do:

Firstly, the government needs to take into consideration the natural environment and governance structure. Good environment yield positivity. In order for a student to focus and accomplish his aim and objectives, access to food, safe drinking water, electricity and clean and health environment is essential. If the child’s need to come back from school and go to sell, or sleep in the dark, his output is most likely to be hindered. The Government needs to first make sure every child has the right to safe environment and equal opportunity.

Secondly, the school environment needs to be safe for every child. Due to the fact that they are different types of learner, it is essential for the school system to set up an atmosphere that is accessible to all learners; with trained and adequate teachers and teaching style. There must be criteria for the selection of teachers. The social environment is one of the main contributors to children’s education. The better the environment is, the quicker it is for children to learn.  To add up, family relevance in pupil’s life is also very essential. The family needs to acknowledge that they are an essential source in society. In the study of sociology, an institution central to social life includes the universality of family, the inevitable variation of family forms, and the necessity of the family for integrating individuals into social worlds. Therefore, family institution needs to be reshaped.

Thirdly, every teachers and students should be evaluated at the end of every school year. It is most likely that a child can be graduated without learning anything. That is why; constant evaluation must be implemented in all government and private institutions. The education sector should include in its long-term plan the introduction of e-learning model.  

In summary, social and natural environment, the involvement of children in the lesson and classroom, how is the lesson thought in the classroom, what is thought, feedback and evaluation at home and at school must be taken into consideration in order to have a successful and strong education system.

References:

Global Education Monitoring Report Team [585] ISBN:978-92-3-100239-7, 978-92-3-600069-5 (ara), 978-7-5191-1698-9 (chi)

Ministry of Education (Education Master Plan (2000) op.cit

Liberia Development Conference Anthology “Engendering Collective Action for Advancing Liberia’s Development” February 1&2, 2017, Monrovia, Liberia

Republic of Liberia: Appraiser of the 2010-2020 Education sector plan Monrovia January 2010

UNICEF, Challenge and Opportunities for Fulfilling the Rights of Children in War-torn Liberia: A Situation Analysis, Monrovia, November 2000

UNDP Poverty Profile of Liberia, UNDP, Monrovia, Liberia, January 2002

UNESCO- 2017   Sustainable Development Goal on education (SDG4)

Yu, M.K. (1991) Education. University of Science and Technology of China Press, Hefei, 317-318.

About the Author: Akiah Precious Glay holds a Doctorate in Sociology with Emphasis in Conflict Escalation, Selçuk University, Konya, Turkey, Master in Peace and Conflict Studies: Nicolaus Copernicus University Torun, Poland and the Kofi Annan Institute for Peace Studies, University of Liberia.

Equal access and opportunity to education are indispensable elements for any serious system across the world.

And despite reinvigorated efforts aimed at resuscitating the once shattered system, access to improved learning materials and increase in primary school net enrolment rate (percentage of primary age students attending primary grades) are still mountains so high to climb especially for those in hard to reach areas.

It would seem the Camp Alpha Public School, located in Camp Alpha Town – approximately 12 hours drive from Monrovia overlooking the resource rich Gola Forest in Gbarpolu County North West Liberia is paying the price for its remoteness.

“It is difficult for us to get supplies from the Ministry of Education (MOE). Because of our location, the Ministry supply truck can only stop in Gbarma (four hours drive from the town) and we will have to rally our little resources just to get our supplies, says Alphonso K. Flomo, the school Principal.

“As I speak to you we have materials there we have not collected because we do not have money to go get them.”

Constructed 2005 through contributions and donations from community residents, the school’s congested classrooms are insufficient to accommodate its over 300 students.

Due to the insufficiency of seats, Flomo says, “Students are allowed to sit in class on a first come first serve basis.” A good number of our students stay home due to our seating problem, he says.

“We need to expand to accommodate those students. So we are thinking about adding an annex. And we will use our own resources as was done in the past.”

When contacted, the Ministry of Education through its County Education Officer, Danwolon Catakaw blamed the situation on the Ministry’s limited capacity.

“We understand the pain of the school and will work to improve the system,” he noted.

He said, “the Ministry’s supply truck cannot reach everywhere. So we establish distribution centers to places the trucks can reach easily.

“And when that happened, we communicate to everyone including the District Education Officers (DEOs), principals and communities.”

“There is even a problem with the meal distributions in hard to reach areas. Mary Meals and the World Food Program (WFP) are faced with similar challenges. 

“We make sure the allocation of the materials is kept somewhere and we work with the principals and PTAs.”

By Edward Blamo, FPA Contributor

Monrovia – The Director General of the National Commission on Higher Education, Dr. Michael P. Slawon, has urged politicians in the Country to leave education matters with educators.

Dr. Slawon said politicizing education will not help improve the sector.

“Just fund the sector and leave the rest of the work with the technicians,” Dr. Slawon stated.

Speaking to this newspaper, Dr. Slawon said it was unthinkable for politicians to mix politics with education only to satisfy themselves.

 “This is wrong and it must stop.”

Speaking further, he warned 12 graders to remain in their respective classes and allow their various student leaderships to work for them.

His statement is in reference to the recent huge visit of 12 graders at the CDC headquarters asking that party’s leadership to help pay their WASSCE fees.

The Higher Education Director General fears mass failure in the 2018 WASSCE exams if students continue to abandon classes in the name of fetching for WASSCE fees when they should be learning and preparing for the tests especially when it is the first time for it to be administered in the country this academic 2017/18 school year.

Recently, the Chief Government Nominee to West African Examination Council Liberia office, Romell Horton, called on all parents of 12 graders to get prepared to underwrite the costs of the WASSCE Exams as the Ministry of Education (MOE) is not financially capacitated to shoulder the responsibility this time around.

The students began looking for other avenues to help shoulder their costs.

Speaking further, Dr. Slawon said that he is not against students trying to be independent in the mist of the current hardship.

“What I want is for them to follow the right channel which I think should be through their respective student leadership.”

He at the same time encouraged former Student leaders of the state-owned University of Liberia to act promptly in the case of student protests.

He specifically wants Mr. Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan and Cllr. Tiawon Gonglo, to intervene into the current saga at the university by speaking to the students, who, he thinks will listen to them.

“It is important for past student and national leaders to always share their past experiences on some issues at the university,” he stressed.

According to him, this will alleviate some of the many protest actions and other problems at the university.

On the developments at the Grand Bassa Community College, Dr. Slawon foresees problems at the Grand Bassa County Community in the absence of a written policy to work with at the Grand Bassa Community College (GBCC).

According to the charter that created the College the Board of Trustees is under obligation to craft rules and regulations including policies, which the President of the College will fully implement.

Since the establishment of the College in 2010 said policy is yet to be put in place, according to him.

This, Dr. Slawon, noted led to several problems at the college including the recent suspension of the GBCC president, Dr. Nathaniel Gbessagee.

Dr. Gbessagee argued that he has been finding it difficult to work in the absence of written policy.

But the board’s recent decision was due to his allege refusal to take directives and or instructions from them.

“We have a good system in place for the education sector but all we need to do is to give it a chance to function effective and let us try to discourage interference from all angles with emphasis on politicians,” Dr. Slawon averred.

Since he took over at the Higher Education Commission, there has been massive improvement as evidence by the establishment of community colleges across the country; the increase in enrollment of students in tertiary education nationwide, among others.

Report by Julius Konton, FPA Contributor

Monrovia – In their hundreds, students of various high schools in Montserrado County have been trooping to the headquarters of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) having had the assurance that its political leader, Senator George Weah, would settle their WASSCE registration fees.

Report by Lennart Dodoo, ldodoo@frontpageafricaonline.com

Students of various high schools, both private and public, can be seen in their schools’ uniforms from morning till very late in the evening on the grounds of the CDC headquarters.

The Liberian government over the weekend announced that it would no longer be able to subsidize WASSCE registration fees and called on parents to shoulder the responsibility.

 “The GoL is obviously no longer in a financial position to shoulder the responsibility of paying examination fees for any group of candidates at WASSCE level in view of the various commitments currently competing for the very lean resources available to her.”

“We therefore appeal to parents, corporate organizations, international donor agencies and philanthropic private individuals to brace up towards the payment of WASSCE fees for their children and wards or the provision of scholarships for the indigent (poor) students,” said Deputy Education Minister for Instruction, Dr. Romelle A. Horton, who is the government’s chief nominee to the West African Examination Council (WAEC). 

This pronouncement came as a shock to thousands of students, some of whom are self-supported. But at the headquarters of the CDC, many of these students believe their plights would be addressed. 

“We came here because we were told by our teachers that Senator George Weah was the one going to pay our WASSCE fees,” a student of the G.W. Gibson High School told FrontPageAfrica. 

According to student Mulbah Paye, raising the US$60 for the registration might appear very small an amount for some, but for him, it’s going to be a tough task for his parents to raise US$120 for him and his sister. 

“We have come this far (12th grade) and now it is possible that we may not complete high school only because we cannot afford WASSCE fee and the government, too, is saying it can’t afford. This is the situation we have in this country,” he lamented. 

He said he was encouraged by his classmate to go the headquarters of the CDC where names of students were being taken to for settlement of the fees. 

Parents, who spoke with FrontPageAfrica expressed frustration over the inability of the Government to subsidize the fees. 

“Why then do we have a government?” an older woman, who only identified herself as Ma Marie, rhetorically asked.

“If this government said education is a mess, what are they doing to help us make it better?

We are sending our children to school but the government is not doing anything to change it from mess.

But I don’t blame them, their children are in the expensive schools and some of them don’t even have their children in this country that’s why they are treating us like that,” she added. 

Michael Johnson, a parent of a 17-year-old boy in the 12^th grade blasted the government for placing the responsibility on the shoulders of parents.

He said – “How much is the government paying civil servants? When you buy a bag of rice from the salary, you have nothing left.”

“If this government wants us to be fully responsible for our children, they must pay us in order for us to be able to take care of our families, too.” 

Mr. Johnson questioned why government is investing so much money in the partnership school system when it could not afford subsidies for her high school students. 

Speaking to students at the CDC headquarters, the party’s youth wing chairman, Jefferson Koijee, said students have been flooding the premises of the party over the past three weeks. 

According to him, CDC does not see education as a privilege as being made to appear by the current government; rather it must be the right of every Liberian child. 

“Students should only have the responsibility to go to school and the rest should be solved by the state,” Koijee insisted. 

According to him, Senator Weah had often helped students with payments of their WASSCE over the past three weeks, but has now decided to write President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to consider finding a solution to the plight of the students. 

Ministry of Education Budget 

In the 2017/18 National Budget, US$45,083,772 is allotted to the Ministry of Education.

Of this amount, US$35,749,344 is for compensation of employees; US$6,767,217 for use of goods and services; US$582,624 from grants; US$250,000 for non-financial assets and US$1,734,587 for subsidies. 

Is Liberia Prepared? 

Education facilities around the country do not meet minimum standards.

For this reason, some students have expressed fear that there will be a mass flunk with the introduction of the WASSCE in Liberia. 

Though this new standardized regional examination was introduced to the region in 2006, this year would be Liberia’s first time writing it nationwide. 

Some students who spoke with this paper lamented that their schools do not have equipped laboratory for practical as they wondered how they would be able to pass the practical aspects of the subjects like Chemistry and Physics in the WASSCE.

Liberia has often been rated amongst the least performing countries in regional exams in the sub-region. The country’s poor performance has often been blamed on the effect of the war and lack of instructional staffs and materials. 

It can be recalled in 2013, all 25,000 students, majority of whom had just completed high school failed the entrance exams of the state-run University of Liberia. 

The “epic fail” of every single candidate in the admission exam provoked bafflement, consternation and heated debate across the country, with some convinced that flaws in Liberia’s education system had been brutally exposed. 

Moving Forward 

However, speaking to the FrontPageAfrica, Dr. Evelyn Kandakai, Chairman of the West African Examination Council (WAEC), said Liberia has to brace herself for the WASSCE examination. 

According to her, the WASSCE was introduced to the region over a decade ago and Liberia cannot continue to blame the war for its inability to participate in the examination. 

Dr. Kandakai: “What Liberia has been doing is only national exams; so all the other countries took this West African Senior Secondary School Exams which is like a common exam for the region. I think it is about time that Liberia turns her courage to fully get on board when it comes to the WASSCE,” she said. 

She added, “It’s true that we’ve had difficulties, but lot of countries in the region also have the same difficulties, for example Sierra Leone also been through a lot and Sierra Leone is going to WASSCE.”

IT IS NO GAINSAYING THAT LIBERIA’S education system is indeed a mess. When the civil war came, it left no stone untouched, ravishing every sector of the country.

THE RIPPLE EFFECT COULD BE seen and felt in the brain drain the country suffered from as some of Liberia’s best minds fled for safety and today, some are nestled in some of the world’s developed nations contributing their respective quotas.

SO MUCH MORE THAT AFTER the cessation of the war and a democratically elected government, students were failing in the national exams, drawing global attention to the dire straits of Liberia’s education sector.

ACCORDING TO THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, only 20% of children enrolled in primary school will complete secondary school. 42% of children are out of school. 50% of children are joining school 3 to 6 years late. 63% of girls between the ages of 15-24 are illiterate. Just over 60% of primary aged girls are out of school.

AFTER SEVERAL FAILED ATTEMPTS TO resuscitate, then came the creation of the Partnership School of Liberia pilot a new approach to education.

OFF FROM A ROCKY START, THE program was met with a tinge of skepticism from other stakeholders who were a bit

ALREADY IN ITS PILOT PHASE, a recently released report, commissioned by the Ministry of Education, and done by the Center for Global Development (CGD) and Innovative for Poverty Action (IPA) has shown that the PSL program has better potential for the future of the Liberian children.

 “THERE IS SOLID EVIDENCE OF POSITIVE effects for Liberian children during the first year of PSL. Students at PSL schools learned more, received more instruction, and were happier at school than students at traditional public schools. Teachers in PSL schools were more likely to be at school, on-task, and engaged in instruction,” the report stated.

“STUDENTS IN PARTNERSHIP SCHOOLS scored 0.18 standard deviations higher in English and 0.18 standard deviations higher in mathematics compared to students in regular public schools. This is the equivalent of 0.56 extra years of schooling for English and 0.66 extra years of schooling for math.

“THE PROGRAM INCREASED TEACHERS’ quality of instruction. Teachers in PSL schools were 20 percentage points more likely to be in school during a random spot check (from a base of 40 percent in comparison schools) and 16 percentage points more likely to be engaged in instruction during class time (from a base of 32 percent in comparison schools).

“STUDENTS IN PARTNERSHIP SCHOOLS spent roughly twice as long learning each week, when taking into account reduced absenteeism, increased time on task, and longer school days in PSL schools,” the report furthered.

LIBERIAN CHILDREN ARE NOT DULL. What they need is to be given is the opportunity. The opportunity to have access to books and other educational materials to expand their horizon. The opportunity to boost their confidence; the opportunity to know that they can sit with other students in the region and emerge with flying colors.

THIS IS WHAT THEY NEED. This is what has been lacking. This what the next leader, whoever wins the elections in October, should be elated about.

OF COURSE IT HAD TO COME WITH pieces of advices from the researchers and it’s one which all eight providers must heed to.

“FUTURE RESEARCH COULD EXPLORE how the program can be improved before further expansion. The remaining two years of the three-year pilot provide an opportunity to test refinements to the program rules, while simultaneously building up the government’s capacity to hold operators accountable and bringing down costs.”

Monrovia – The Ministry of Education, with funding support from USAID through UNICEF under the Education Crisis Responds Liberia project, has embarked on a training rollout for 10,000 Teachers nationally across the 15 Counties.

The training rollout has been planned in four phases. Phase one covers five counties in the southeast; phase two five counties within the central region, while phases three and four cover Montserrado and four other counties.

For execution purposes, 2,426 classroom teachers were trained from Maryland, Grand Kru, River Gee, Sinoe, and Grand Gedeh Counties within the southeast from March 24, 2017 to April 22, 2017   in psychosocial support services and pedagogy.

The second phase of the training, which is expected to commence the 29^th of May 2017 and end the 6^th of July 2017, has been planned for the central region covering Lofa, Bong, Nimba, River-Cess, and Gbarpolu Counties with 3,488 teachers being targeted.  

The basic pedagogy and psychosocial support training will be conducted through 20 90-minute sessions, designed to bring about improved learner-centered teaching methods.

These methods are linked to core teacher competencies and are to deliver improvement on core learning from the national teacher testing exercise.

“The MoE is dedicated to doing what it can to reach the goal of  “getting to best’’ of which teacher training is identified as a key priority,” a released issued by the Ministry on Wednesday read.”

“The Ministry also urging participants to bring proof of identity and documentation showing employment as a teacher at your school as those without such proof will be rejected.”

“Training is essential to capacity building and is one of the strategic approaches of the division of Guidance and Counseling at the Ministry of Education,” a strategy document on the program read.

“The competency of the staff depends on their knowledge in assessing, designing and monitoring psychosocial interventions, which is why we ensure to continuously expand materials.

“Our focus has been on psychosocial support tools, the First Aid for disaster response, but we also build upon this and developed a series of tools for recovery and development in social welfare contexts.

“This training prepares participants to facilitate the community-based psychosocial support foundation training. It gives participants deeper insight into the content of community-based psychosocial support.”

Monrovia – Liberia’s Commission on Higher Education Director General Dr. Michael Slawion says his attention has been drawn to universities and colleges operating in Liberia without accreditations.

Report by Willie N. Tokpah – willie.tokpah@frontpageafricaonline.com

Dr. Slawion said it is unfortunate that some bogus institutions are granting degree and certificate program illegally under the pretext of meeting requirements set by the commission to run such programs.

Speaking in an interview with FPA Wednesday, Dr. Slawion named David G. Barshall University College as one of such institutions that have not been accredited by the Commission on Higher Education to run degree programs in the country, but is reportedly doing so.

He noted that Barshall University has sent in application to grant Bachelor degree, but the Commission on Higher Education has not yet approved the request to run as a college because the institution has not met the requisite standards.

The David G. Barshall University College is reportedly running a Bachelor Degree Program in Nursing, Accounting, Business Science and Computer Administration, amongst others courses on a tuition-free basis.

Sources close to the institution informed FPA that the institution is run by an aspirant of Montserrado County District #3 in the upcoming Legislative Election, Ceebee Barshall.

Barshall has, however, reserved comment on the status of the institution. When contacted via mobile phone Wednesday, Barshall told FrontPage Africa that he was busy with important issues and was not prepared to comment on the matter.   

Dr. Slawion warned the institution’s management to refrain from continuing the degree programs until they meet the requirements.

According to him, government has set a policy guideline that the Commission uses to determine institutions that meet its standard for operating degree programs.

“If you want to run these programs, we have the requirements and we can give it to you to go and start working on it, but they should not be running on that name. Any institution that we are not aware of and students are attending, you are doing it at your own risk,” Dr. Slawion warned.

He at the same time indicated that a team of investigators are in the field to track down institutions involved with illegal operation.  

Slawion registered that most of these illegal institutions are recruiting students who are not high school graduates in the name of getting huge populations which does not mean well for educational advancement in Liberia.

“In Liberia, our regulation states that you must complete high school and pass WAEC Exam before going to college.”

“You have to get qualified instructors, good facility and environment, well-designed curriculum and student’s recruitment,” Dr. Slawion intoned.   

Beside the David G. Barshall University College, the Commission on Higher Education Director also noted that there are other institutions operating degree programs illegally.

Another institution illegally operating, according to Dr. Slawion, is LICOSSES Teachers College which is granting an Associate Degree Program instead of ‘C’ Certificate as mandated by the Commission of Higher Education.

He said these institutions would be closed down because they do not meet the standard regulations set by the Commission in running a master, bachelor and association programs while at the same time others will revert to granting the require document prescribed by the commission on higher education.

But Slawion maintained that the case of LICOSSES in particular is different because they have already been recommended to the Minister of Education for onward consideration for Public-Private Partnership.

Dr. Slawon named the University of Liberia, Cuttington University, Stella Maris Polytechnic and the United Methodist University as the only four institutions that have been recognized for Master Degree programs, while Williams V.S. Tubman University, African Methodist Episcopal University, AME Zion University College, Liberia Baptist Theological Seminary, African Bible College University, Liberia Assemblies of God Bible College, Monrovia Bible College, Adventist University of West Africa, Starz College of Technology, Harbel College, Bong County Technical College and the Bluecrest University College are the only institutions that run Bachelor  Degree program.

He also said only 34 institutions are currently running Associate program in Liberia.

These institutions include Smythe Institute of Management and Technology, Trinity Bible College, Jake Memorial Baptist College, Leigh-Sherman Community College, Christian Theological Seminary, Bomi County Community College, Baptist College of Missionary Physician Assistants, Grand Basa Community College, Wesleyan College of Liberia, Vision International Christian College of Liberia and Liberia International Christian College. Others according to him include LINCOLN College of Professional Studies, St. Clements University College, Nimba County Community College, Liberia Dujah Technical College, Lofa County Community College, Free Pentecostal College and the Grand Gedeh County Community College.    

“These names read to you are those operating now in the country and any other institution that does not fall within these names is operating illegally.”

“Even if there are applications on our files for elevation, once we have not on those folders we don’t know about your operation, the higher education boss asserted.

Higher Education is a statutory Commission created by an Act of the Legislature in 1989 with the responsibility of providing quality education to young people across Liberia with the mandate monitor, evaluate and accredit institutions that meet government regulations.

“Our main concern here is to work with institutions that are accredited in making sure they stay within the necessary framework, meaning quality assurance,” Slawion stated.

Meanwhile, Dr. Slawion noted that the Commission on Higher Education is considering putting a halt to accrediting new institutions due to limited instructor that would provide the require knowledge.