Liberia News: Economic Hardship Will Put More Children Out of School

By Washington Tumay Watson

Liberia-Hurting economic hardships in Liberia will likely keep thousands of school-going children out of school this year, as several parents have voiced out frustrations over government’s inability to find lasting remedy to the country’s economic woes.
In keeping with calendar for academic 2024/25, several schools have since started classes while others are preparing to get the ball rolling any time soon, but it is parents who lack the financial muscles feeling the pinch and weeping the hardest and loudest.
The Ministry of Education announced the official opening of schools across the country on September 2, 2024, but yet, most schools administrations have slated September 9, 2024 as the date they will open or resume classes.
Some of the schools’ administrators informed the media that their decision for a week before opening was due to the low enrolment of students.
Cecelia Grbatoe Kollie, a concerned parent, told our reporter in the Redlight community that it will be difficult for her children to register due to the lack of funding.
Madam Kollie is a mother of four girls dealing in dry goods business at the red-light market said
Making matter worse, she said, is the fact that people are not buying, adding “this is creating serious economic constraints for me and my children.”
Madam Kollie called on the Ministry of Education to ensure that school administrators reduce the fees to enable parents send their children to school, especially single mothers including jobless fathers.
Also speaking, motorcyclist Jeramiah Williams, disclosed that the dismissal of more Liberians from the Government and the lack of jobs are factors responsible for the economic hardship.
Mr. Williams said there is a need for the government to ensure that the private sector is viable for its citizens to work, and not focus too much on politics.
According to him, he will only be able to send two of his children to school this year because of the lack of financial resources.
He further called on the government to provide subsidies to private schools and faith-based institutions as a means of reducing the high tuitions and fees parents are paying for their kids.