By Desmond Gbeleh Wion
Senior Reporter
Monrovia, Liberia – Frustrated by the prolonged absence of their teachers due to unpaid salaries, hundreds of students from Tubman High School, under the Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS), took to the streets of Monrovia in protest, demanding immediate government intervention. The protest, which disrupted parts of the capital, highlighted the worsening crisis in Liberia’s education sector as unpaid teachers continue to abandon classrooms in search of alternative means of survival.
The demonstrating students, many from public high schools, marched through major streets carrying placards with messages such as “No Salary, No Teachers, No Future” and “We Deserve Quality Education.” They chanted slogans, calling on the Ministry of Education and the government to urgently address the issue.
Students of Tubman High School have been protesting for days due to the absence of their instructors, leaving the learning environment vulnerable. They have engaged the school administration in efforts to resolve the issue but to no avail.
Speaking to reporters, a senior student and lead protester from Tubman High School expressed frustration over the continued disruption of their education.
“We come to school every day, but there are no teachers in class. How can we pass our exams when there is no one to teach us?” the lead student protester asked. “The government must act now before it is too late. Our parents struggle to send us to school, hoping we can have a better future, but the government is failing us. If they can pay lawmakers and ministers on time, why can’t they pay our teachers?”
The protest has sparked widespread reactions on social media and talk shows, with civil society actors and education advocates calling on the government to prioritize teachers’ welfare.
As tensions rise, with reports of injuries among protesters, some students have vowed to continue demonstrating until the government resolves the issue. With exams approaching, many fear that the continued absence of teachers will negatively impact their performance and overall academic progress.
Following the students’ action, Minister of Education Dr. Jarso Marley Jallah addressed the matter, assuring the public of the Ministry’s commitment to engaging the Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS), which has administrative supervision over the affected schools, to investigate the situation.
However, Dr. Jallah expressed concerns that the protests might be politically motivated. “If politicians are inciting students and manipulating their rights to create a misleading narrative, it is unacceptable and unpatriotic,” she warned, urging those responsible to desist immediately.
At the same time, she questioned the legitimacy of the claims, stating, “How is it possible that MCSS teachers are facing payment issues when the 2025 budget allocates US$3 million for personnel costs and US$1 million for operational costs?”
Nevertheless, she reaffirmed the government’s commitment to addressing the issue, urging students to remain calm and avoid street protests, assuring them that their concerns would be resolved.
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