MOE report uncovers unprecedented challenges

Following a nationwide tour, the Ministry of Education has outlined the challenges facing the nation’s educational sector.

By Kruah Thompson 

Monrovia, Liberia, July 17, 2024 – The Ministry of Education’s (MOE) County Assessment Tour report has uncovered significant challenges facing students in rural Liberia, exposing critical educational disparities and urgent needs for support and resources.

The assessment, concluded on June 17, 2024, aimed to evaluate the educational system comprehensively, identifying achievements and challenges to ensuring high-quality education across Liberia.

Education Minister Dr. Jarso Maley Jallah, presenting findings during a regular briefing at MICAT in Monrovia on Tuesday, July 16, 2023, highlighted several key issues, including Poor educational infrastructure and overcrowded classrooms, Acute shortage of trained teachers in basic and secondary education, High teacher absenteeism and reliance on volunteer teachers, Inadequate seating and WASH facilities, Ineffective lesson plans, affecting instructional quality, High number of overage students and mismatched placements and Significant population of out-of-school children.

Additionally, the report identified challenges in achieving satisfactory learning outcomes, particularly in literacy and numeracy skills appropriate for grade levels. It also noted arbitrary transfers of teachers and administrators, minimal teacher accommodation in rural areas, and inefficiencies in resource utilization.

To address these issues, Minister Jallah emphasized the need for impactful policy adjustments, enhanced accountability in fiscal operations, and introduction of biometric ID cards and electronic sign-in systems to enforce MOE policies effectively.

Furthermore, she stressed a need for plans to hold accountable contractors responsible for delayed or substandard school construction projects. 

“The Ministry aims to strengthen Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) to improve learning outcomes, enhance teacher training, and manage school operations more effectively,” the Education Boss underscored.

Future initiatives outlined in the minister’s presentation include Enhancing pedagogical content and specialization, Recruiting and retaining trained teachers, Reducing classroom overcrowding through school construction and renovation, Deploying guidance counselors in public senior secondary schools to support girls’ retention and completion, Implementing continuous professional development nationwide, and Establishing a rigorous monitoring and supervision framework for ongoing improvement.

Looking ahead, the Ministry plans to conduct joint education sector reviews, initiate annual school censuses, develop strategies for teacher workforce recruitment, activate national youth service programs, and introduce standardized accelerated learning curricula.

Minister Jallah announced plans for a donor conference to secure additional investments to close funding gaps and effectively operationalize the sector plan. Editing by Jonathan Browne